With the goal to control dengue strains, the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) and Vector Control Research Centre(VCRC) started two mosquito colonies that are infected with bacteria for the control of dengue. The ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre that is located in Puducherry developed two colonies of Aedes Aegypti that are infected with wMel and wAlbB Wolbachia strains called Ae. aegypti for reducing the spread of the viral disease. It has been reported that VCRC had been working for the last four years on Wolbachia mosquitoes which is a microscopic organism.

ICMR-VCRC, director, Dr. Ashwani Kumar stated that “It is actually an endosymbiont. We call it endo which means inside and biont means give and take relationship. It makes it home and then all the Wolbachia here can effectively control the viruses like the dengue virus.”

Around 10,000 eggs which contain two strains wMel and wAlbB were brought for the research from Monash University and it was also cleared by the Government of India.

Dr. Ashwani further explained that the Wolbachia eggs that are hatched by them the mosquitoes and are backed across them with the local strain of Puducherry Aedes aegypti and now that they have created that mosquitoes of Puducherry that is having Wolbachia. After cross-breeding, there are stable lines of Wolbachia which are carrying these mosquitoes. He added further that these mosquitoes have been found suitable for replacing both dengue and chikungunya viruses.

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The apex of Indian medical society’s twitter handle was compromised as per the information tweeted by the Indian Council Of Medical Research (ICMR).

In their tweet, ICMR said ICMR has observed that the twitter account of the organization has been compromised. We are taking the necessary steps to rectify the same. We apologize for any inconvenience caused due to this situation.

There were several tweets that were tweeted from their twitter handle, which were anti governmental in natire and were later removed by the ICMR.

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There is a good news coming amid the growing infection of Corona. Corona vaccine Covaxin (COVAXIN) may be launched on August 15. This vaccine has been prepared by pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech. Vaccine launching is possible from Bharat Biotech and ICMR.

Recently, covaxine has been approved for human trials. According to a letter issued by ICMR, enrollment for human trials will start from July 7. After this, if all the trials were correct then it is expected that by August 15, the cocaine can be launched. First of all, India can come in the biotech vaccine market.

This letter has been issued by ICMR and all the stakeholders (including AIIMS doctors). He says that if the trial is successful in every phase, then by August 15, the corona vaccine can come in the covariate market. It is currently estimated by ICMR.

Significantly, Hyderabad-based pharma company Bharat Biotech had recently claimed that it has also got the green signal from DCGI for the Phase-I and Phase-2 human trials of covaxine. The company has also said that trial work will be started in the first week of July. Bharat Biotech has previous experience in making vaccines.

Bharat Biotech company has also made vaccines for polio, rabies, rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis, chikungunya and Zika virus. Enrollment for human trials can start from July 7. After this, a phase-wise trial will be done. If the trial is successful, the vaccine will be launched on August 15.

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