COVID-19: Modi, Netanyahu explore technology collaboration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the global coronavirus situation and shared their experiences so far in dealing with the crisis during a video conference on April 3.The two leaders discussed the response strategies in the respective countries and also explored possible collaboration, including improving the availability of pharmaceutical supplies and the use of high technology. They agreed to maintain a focused channel of communication to explore such synergies, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Netanyahu agreed with the prime minister that the COVID-19 pandemic is an important turning point in modern history, and offers an opportunity to forge a new vision of globalisation focused on the shared interests of humanity as a whole. Israel has reported 7000 cases of COVID-19, including 37 deaths so far. In a breakthrough, Israeli researchers said they would begin testing a COVID-19 vaccine on humans as early as June 1. “We are in the final stages, and within a few days, we will hold the proteins – the active component of the vaccine,” Dr Chen Katz, group leader of MIGAL’s biotechnology group, told The Jerusalem Post.