Pune: The Fire that broke out at Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune will hit the production of BCG, Rotavirus vaccine.
Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman and managing director of SII said “This was a new building at the Special Economic Zone campus at Manjri. It was on the verge of completion and the facility was built to manufacture extra quantities of BCG and Rotavirus vaccines.”
Rotavirus vaccine is used to prevent a certain virus infection in infants and young children.
State health minister Rajesh Tope said that “Welding work was the reason for the fire at the Rotavirus plant and welding sparks caused the fire due to highly inflammable material present at the spot.”
Adar Poonawalla CEO of the Company said that “Fire at Serum Institute of India will not affect the supply of coronavirus vaccine to the nation.”
The Manjri plant is 3km from the institute’s main plant at Hadapsar where Covishield is being manufactured.
The institute manufactures vaccine doses for polio, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
On November 28, The Prime Minister visited the building at the Manjri plant and interacted with the manufacturer team about the making, logistics and distribution of Covishield vaccine.
_Vinayak