New Delhi, March 13: At a time when India is battling the coronavirus outbreak, local drug makers are not receiving some active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from China that are needed to manufacture medicine for treating COVID-19. In the wake of global coronavirus outbreak, demands of the APIs have surged, but China is holding back supplies to meet its own demand. Beijing's move could hamper manufacturing of medicine for treating coronavirus-infected patients in other countries. Coronavirus Outbreak Live News Updates.

In India, five major pharma companies manufacture antiretrovirals - medicines for treating coronavirus-infected patients. According to manufacturers, they presently have stocks to treat around one lakh patients. However, if the situation worsens, India may face a shortage of these APIs as China is not supplying and there is no other alternative source, they feared. Lopinavir and ritonavir combination - usually a second line HIV medication – are being used to treat severe cases of coronavirus. India's First COVID-19 Death: 76-year-Old Karnataka Man Died Due to Co-morbidity & Tested Positive for Coronavirus.

"Recently, some of the scheduled consignments have not arrived and an informal communication indicates China is holding back supplies for certain APIs and intermediates that are used particularly in coronavirus drugs," a senior executive was quoted by Times of India as saying. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved the "restricted" use of the combination of lopinavir and ritonavir for treating coronavirus patients.

In India, around 70 percent of HIV patients are on first-line drugs. The second line drug is manufactured mainly for export purposes. However, if coronavirus cases increase in the country, the drug will be needed to treat patients. According to Johns Hopkins University, the outbreak has spread across the globe with more than 126,000 infections and more than 4,600 deaths. More than 68,000 people have recovered so far.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 13, 2020 08:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).