Indian multinational pharmaceutical company, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories will be launching a generic version of Merck’s COVID-19 oral antiviral medication, molnupiravir, at an extremely affordable treatment rate of 1,400 Rupees ($18.8), 37 times cheaper than in the United States. Dr. Reddy’s “Motflu” will be priced at $0.47 per 200-mg pill, and a treatment consists of a 5-day course of 40 pills, 800mg twice a day. In the United States, the treatment with Merck’s capsules costs $700. “Molflu is expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies throughout (India) with particular focus on states with high caseload of COVID-19,” the company spokesperson said, Reuters reported. On Dec. 25, there were 6,987 new cases of COVID-19 reported in India with a 7-day average of 7,658. On Jan. 4, the case numbers increased 730 percent to 58,097 with the new 7-day average coming to 29,925 infections. The first Omicron case was registered on …