Maha CM Thackeray thanks PM Modi after Centre allows Mumbai's Haffkine to produce Covaxin

Mumbai, April 16: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allowing Maharashtra-government-owned Haffkine Institute to manufacture Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, on the basis of transfer of technology.

 

 

"The Dept of Science and Technology, Government of India, has granted approval to Haffkine Institute to produce Bharat Biotech's Covaxin vaccine on a transfer of technology basis," CMO Maharashtra tweeted. "CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray has thanked Prime Minister for approving this request," it said.

 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier requested the Centre to allow the Haffkine Institute to produce Covaxin. Covaxin is currently being produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.

 

 

With over 26.02 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses administered till 8 pm on Thursday, the cumulative doses against the coronavirus administered in the country have crossed 11.74 crores.

 

Maharashtra continued to report grim COVID-19 figures on Thursday with 61,695 new COVID-19 cases and 349 deaths in the last 24 hours.

 

 

As per the state health department, the total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 36,39,855, including 29,59,056 recoveries and 59,153 deaths. There are currently 6,20,060 active cases in the states, the highest in any state.

 

Earlier, a meeting of Empowered Group 2 (EG2) was held on Thursday to review the availability of essential medical equipment and oxygen during the Covid-19 crisis. The group directed the health ministry to identify another 100 hospitals in far-flung locations for consideration of sanction for installation of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants.