Health

ISLAMABAD: Two more cases of polio were found in the country on Saturday, taking the tally for the year to 53. According to health officials, the polio cases were reported in Sindh and Balochistan. The children infected with the crippling disease have never been administered the anti-polio vaccine, said sources. Giving details, the sources said that a three-month-old infant was …

LAHORE: The provincial capital is becoming a ‘hard-to-survive’ city for the Covid-19 patients after its state-run teaching hospitals are running short of beds for them amid a massive surge in the number of serious patients, while the highest number of deaths are also occurring here in Punjab every day. Presently, the corona wards at the major teaching hospitals of Lahore …

ISLAMABAD: While coronavirus cases have increased by more than 100,000 in the past three weeks with many patients being “denied” of treatment due to lack of facilities, the Centre’s sudden change of mind after a year to take over three major hospitals of Sindh has stirred a controversy over their control and funding, which may further affect the fight against …

The United States lost another 705 people to the new coronavirus in the 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. It marked the ninth day in which the daily toll from the virus has been fewer than 1,000, even as the US remains the country hardest-hit by the pandemic with 119,086 deaths out of 2,219,119 official cases. …

Swiss drugmaker Novartis is halting its trial of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against COVID-19 after struggling to find participants, it said on Friday, as data emerged from other studies raising doubts about its efficacy. Novartis’ trial began in April and sought to test the drug in 440 hospitalized patients. But the project only managed to recruit a handful. Novartis’ move follows …

FRANKFURT: There is a notable name missing from the frontrunners in the race to test experimental immunisations against the novel coronavirus: the world’s largest vaccine maker GlaxoSmithKline. And that is absolutely fine according to the British group’s chief medical officer for vaccines Thomas Breuer, who says the company prefers the slow and steady approach of focusing on an established technology …

KARACHI: Coronavirus cases in the Sindh police department have mounted to 975 after 102 more personnel tested positive for the infection in the past 2 days, on Friday. According to Sindh police spokesperson, 975 personnel of the Sindh police have been tested positive for the coronavirus so far, while 264 have recovered their health from the deadly virus. 700 offices …

SUKKUR: As many as 86 prisoners and 11 staffer have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at Sukkur Central Jail, on Friday. According to the District Health Officer, tests of 1,100 prisoners of Central Jail Sukkur were conducted out of which 86 inmates were tested positive for the pandemic. Moreover, 11 employees of the jail were also detected with the …

A sixth experimental COVID-19 vaccine from China is now being tested in humans after Clover Biopharmaceuticals said on Friday an early-stage study of its candidate was underway with vaccine boosters from UK’s GSK and US based Dynavax. The trial, which is enrolling about 150 adult and elderly patients, will evaluate the two different boosters, or adjuvants, in combination with Clover’s …

KARACHI: After UK-led clinical trial showing encouraging results of dexamethasone drug in Covid-19 treatment, the price of the life-saving drug has been increased by 100 percent in the wholesale and retail markets of Karachi. Speaking on the matter, Wholesale Chemist Council of Pakistan President Muhammad Atif Hanif has blamed pharmaceutical companies for the shortage and hike in the price of …