Coronavirus: Donald Trump warns of 'retaliation' if India refuses hydroxychloroquine supply

US President Donald Trump warned India of possible retaliation if it doesn't allow the export of Hydroxychloroquine tablets to the United States (US). Donald Trump last week urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to relax India's ban on hydroxychloroquine tablets so that the drug could be used to treat COVID-19 patients in the US. "So, I would be surprised if that were his decision. He'd have to tell me that. I spoke to him Sunday morning, called him, and I said we'd appreciate your allowing our supply to come out. If he doesn't allow it to come out, that would be okay, but of course there may be retaliation. Why wouldn't there be?" Trump said during a press briefing at the White House on Monday. Hydroxychloroquine tablet is used to prevent and treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, among other ailments.

Donald Trump had requested India for anti-malarial drugs, hours after India banned the export of the anti-malarial drug. Similar requests have been made by India's other neighbours such as Sri Lanka and Nepal. The export ban order is being reviewed, India said. On Monday, a senior State Department official said that India has been a significant partner of the US in the pharmaceutical sector and it expects similar cooperation to continue between the economies.

Meanwhile, the total number of deaths owing to coronavirus pandemic in the United States topped 10,000 as of 1.20 pm local time, according to the data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. On the other hand, China reported no coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, the first time since it started publishing daily figures in January.

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