Bhopal's MANIT used as a quarantine centre; students protest over decision

Bhopal administration has acquired the hostel of Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT) in order to convert the building into a quarantine centre. However, the decision has not been welcomed by all since students have been protesting over the decision. 

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MANIT hostel turned into quarantine centre

Bhopal Collector Tarun Pithore, while speaking to ANI, said that several institutes have supported the administration and MANIT too should do the same. 

However, students have protested saying that the college will not reopen on time due to the infections. Students were also seen holding placards with slogans, "Do not make MANIT into a quarantine centre".

Madhya Pradesh on Monday reported 194 new COVID-19 cases, including 53 from worst-hit Indore, and eight deaths, taking the overall case count to 8,283 and fatalities to 358, state Health Department officials said.

While three deaths were reported from Indore, two fatalities were reported from Bhopal, and one each from Ujjain, Jabalpur and Sagar. The number of coronavirus positive cases in Indore, the worst-hit district, rose to 3,539 with 53 new cases.

READ: Madhya Pradesh Govt Extends Lockdown Till June 15 Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

Vaccine research goes on 

Meanwhile, India's drug regulator has granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for its anti-viral drug Remdesivir for "restricted emergency use" on hospitalised COVID-19 patients in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic.

The approval process for Remdesivir was accelerated in view of the emergency situation and the unmet need for medicines in light of the coronavirus outbreak, a source in the know of the developments told PTI. The drug has been allowed for restricted emergency use for the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalised with severe symptoms, subject to several safeguards, the source said.

READ: Gilead Says Drug Helped Moderately Ill Coronavirus Patients

READ: Railways' First Isolation Coaches Deployed For Treatment Of Coronavirus Patients In Delhi

(image credits: ANI)