Pharma exports from India witnessed over 18 per cent growth to USD 24.44 billion during the last financial year against USD 20.58 billion in FY20, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) said on Saturday.

We have observed a big leap in our exports in the month of March 2021 which is USD 2.3 billion (figures for March are provisional) and is highest among the exports of all the months of this financial year, the growth rate for this month is 48.5 per cent against the exports in March 2020 (USD 1.54 billion), Udaya Bhaskar, Director General of Pharmexcil said in a release.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday reviewed the availability of oxygen, ventilators, manpower, and hospital beds with 11 high-burden states reporting massive surge in coronavirus cases.

He assured the states that the union government will continue to assist them in fight against the pandemic.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19.

I have tested positive for COVID-19. I request everyone who came in close contact with me over the last few days to isolate themselves and get tested, he said in a tweet.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has nearly touched 12 crores as part of the world's largest vaccination drive, the Union Health Ministry has informed on Saturday.

According to the ministry, a total of 11,99,37,641 vaccine doses have been administered through 17,37,539 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today.

Spelling huge relief for lakhs of Covid-19 patients, the government has slashed the prices of the 'life-saver' Remdesivir injection by nearly 50 per cent, to MRP Rs 2,450 per injection now, according to official sources.

In a missive late on Friday, the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Department of Pharmaceuticals, NPPA - Advisor (Costs) N.I. Chowdhury has ordered all pharma companies to comply with the revised norms with immediate and retrospective effect.

The Jharkhand High Court on Saturday granted bail to RJD president Lalu Prasad in Dumka treasury case of the multi-crore rupees fodder scam, paving way for his release from jail.

The bail was allowed to Prasad by Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a review meeting on the COVID-19 situation on Saturday (April 17). Nodal Minister for COVID-19 management Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and other officials will take part in the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also urged the citizens to follow the weekend curfew in Delhi. The weekend lockdown came into force from 10 pm on Friday.

Tamil actor, comedian and Padma Shri recipient Vivek died in the wee hours of Saturday morning at a Chennai hospital, as per reports. He was 59. The actor, who has done over 200 films, breathed his last following a cardiac arrest at 4.35 am, as per News MInute report. It was reported that Vivek was admitted to the intensive care unit of SIMS hospital in Vadapalani after he suffered from a heart attack on Friday. He reportedly underwent an angioplasty and stenting procedure for a complete block in a critical blood vessel of the heart.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking COVID-19 vaccination for all above the age of 18 years beacuse of a sudden upsurge in coronavirus cases across the country.

The plea filed by advocate Rashmi Singh said that widespread vaccination of all young and working population is essential to arrest the deadly surge of the coronovirus in its second wave.

Shares of multiplex operators like PVR and Inox Leisure continued to remain under pressure, hitting seven-month lows on the BSE in intra-day trade on Friday after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced sweeping restrictions in a bid to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in the city.

Among individual stocks, PVR slipped 3 per cent to Rs 1,030, while Inox Leisure dipped 2.5 per cent to Rs 248.45 on the BSE in intra-day trade today.

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