Anti-HIV drug ‘proves crucial in treatment’

Jaipur: A combination of two anti-HIV drugs has proved crucial in the treatment of coronavirus positive cases, a senior official of the Rajasthan Government said. Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said the patients’ condition improved after they were administered the anti-HIV drugs. Three of the four patients in the state have now been declared coronavirus-free. He said the first two patients tested positive for the virus were an Italian couple. “As the structure of coronavirus is similar to that of HIV, so the doctors tried a combination of two anti-HIV drugs,” he added. PTI

Domino’s Pizza starts contactless delivery

New Delhi: McDonald’s and Domino’s Pizza have introduced contactless delivery in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Westlife Development, owner and operator of McDonald’s restaurants in India, on Monday said it has launched contactless delivery to ensure food reaches customers without being touched by bare hands and delivered safe with adequate social distancing measures. Similarly, Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, licensee for Domino’s Pizza, said it had introduced zero-contact delivery all its 1,325 restaurants. Westlife Development said it has provided riders with sanitisers to sanitise hands before and after each delivery and instructed them to sanitise delivery bags every two hours of use. PTI

289 evacuees from Iran are virus-free

Jaipur: All 289 evacuees brought from Iran on Sunday and Monday by Air India flights at Jaisalmer have tested negative for Covid-19. They have been shifted to the Army Wellness Centre for 14 days. Of the yesterday’s 236 evacuees, three who had symptoms were tested and all tested negative, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical and Health, Rohit Kumar Singh said here. Besides, 53 persons, who came from Iran this morning, didn’t have Covid-19 symptoms, he said. Preliminary screening of the people was undertaken at the airport upon their arrival. Thereafter, they were moved to the Army Wellness Centre, Defence spokesperson Col Sombit Ghosh said. OC