320 doses of Covaxin stolen from Jaipur hospital, FIR lodged

Amid a surge in the coronavirus infection, over 300 doses of anti-Covid vaccine have allegedly been stolen from a hospital in Jaipur, prompting authorities to lodge a criminal case against the theft. A total of 320 doses of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin went missing from the Kanwatiya government hospital in Shastri Nagar, an official said on Wednesday.

The hospital authorities informed the Jaipur chief medical and health officer about the theft on Tuesday night following which an FIR was lodged on Wednesday. "I was informed last night that the doses have been stolen. It is surprising. A police case has been registered in this regard," Dr Narottam Sharma, Jaipur CMHO, told.

The vaccines were stolen apparently on Monday, he said, adding the case was registered by the hospital superintendent on Wednesday. Sharma said a departmental probe too has been ordered into the theft.