Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi records 655 fresh Covid-19 cases, lowest since August 16

With 22,272 new Covid-19 infections, India's total cases rise to 1,01,69,118. India now have reported less than 30,000 daily new Covid-19 cases continuously for the last 13 days while daily recoveries have outnumbered daily new cases successively for last 29 days. Meanwhile, more UK returnees tested positive on Friday, taking the tally to 14 in Karnataka. The samples of 13 have already been sent to Nimhans for genetic sequencing.

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Bengal reports 1,253 new Covid-19 cases, 33 fresh fatalities

West Bengal's Covid-19 tally mounted to 5,46,008 on Saturday as 1,253 more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.

Thirty-three more people succumbed to the infection, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 9,569, it said.

As many as 1,861 more people have been cured of the disease, taking the state's recovery count to 5,22,331, the bulletin said.

Himachal Pradesh's Covid-19 death toll crosses 900-mark

The death toll due to Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh crossed the 900-mark on Saturday after 11 more people died, the Health Department data said.

The state also reported 222 fresh cases, taking the infection tally to 54,281.

Four deaths were reported from Shimla, three from Solan and one each from Una, Lahaul-Spiti, Hamirpur and Bilaspur. Of them, eight were men and three women aged between 38 and 75.

854 new coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, 60 deaths

Maharashtra's Covid-19 caseload rose to 19,16,236 on Saturday as it recorded 2,854 new cases, a health official said.

The state also reported 60 fatalities, taking its death toll due to the pandemic to 49,189, he said.

A total of 1,526 patients were discharged after treatment, taking the tally of recovered people to 18,07,824.

There are 58,091 active patients in the state now.

Delhi records 655 fresh cases, lowest since Aug 16; positivity rate 0.98%

Delhi recorded 655 fresh Covid-19 cases, the lowest in over four months, and 30 more fatalities due to the disease on Saturday, even as the positivity rate stood at 0.98 per cent, authorities said.

The case tally mounted to over 6.22 lakh in the city and the death toll due to the coronavirus rose to 10,437, they said, adding that over 67,000 Covid-19 tests were conducted on Friday.

From December 21-23, the count of daily cases was below the 1,000-mark in the city. On Monday, 803 cases were reported, the lowest since August 17, 939 cases were recorded on Tuesday and 871 on Wednesday.

49 new Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, 6 more die

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 249 fresh Covid-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the infection count to 1,19,877, while six fatalities in the last 24 hours raised the death toll to 1,867 in the Union Territory, officials said.

Of the fresh cases, 123 were from Kashmir and 126 were from the Jammu Division, they said.

The officials said Jammu recorded a maximum of 96 new cases of the novel coronavirus, followed by 49 in Srinagar district.

Karnataka sees 857 new Covid-19 cases and 7 deaths

Karnataka on Saturday reported 857 new cases of Covid-19 and 7 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 9,15,345 and the death toll to 12,051.

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Nagpur district reports 322 new Covid-19 cases, 360 recoveries

Nagpur district in Maharashtra on Saturday reported 322 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the count of infections to 1,21,988, an official release said.

With six more persons succumbing to the viral disease, the overall death toll in the district rose to 3,890, it said.

A total of 360 people were discharged in Nagpur district during the day, taking the cumulative number of recoveries to 1,14,065, the release added.

Gujarat sees 890 fresh Covid-19 cases, 1,002 recoveries; 7 die

Gujarat on Saturday reported 890 new coronavirus positivecases, taking the count of infections to 2,40,995, the state health department said.

With seven more persons succumbing to the viral disease, the overall death toll in the state mounted to 4,275, it said.

A total of 1,002 patients were discharged after treatment in Gujarat during the day, taking the cumulative number of recoveries to 2,26,208, the department said in a release.

Haryana reports 7 more Covid-19 deaths, 392 fresh cases

Haryana on Saturday reported seven more coronavirus deaths, taking the death toll to 2,865, even as 392 fresh cases pushed the state's infection tally to 2,60,545.

According to the state health department's daily bulletin, two fatalities were reported from Bhiwani, while one death each was recorded in Fatehabad, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Gurgaon and Faridabad districts.

Kerala logs 3,527 new cases, 3,752 recoveries; toll nearing 3,000-mark

Kerala recorded 3,527 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, while 3,782 people have been cured of the infection, as the death toll is inching towards the 3,000 mark with 21 more deaths being added, Health Minister K K Shailaja said.

While the total virus caseload has touched 7,35,611, recoverieswent up to 6,68,733 and at least 63,752 people are undergoing treatment for the infection. In the last 24 hours, 35,586 samples were tested and the test positivity rate was 9.91 per cent, the minister said in a press release.

Guidelines to prevent and contain spread of new variant of coronavirus soon: Karnataka Health Minister

Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Saturday said his department will discuss with the Home Department on prevention and containment of a new variant of coronavirus and come up with guidelines soon.

A release from the Minister's office, quoting him, said there will be new guidelines for New Year celebrations and that he will hold a meeting with the Home Department regarding this soon.

Iran extends traffic curfew to 330 cities to sustain coronavirus decline

Iran has extended a night-time traffic curfew to 330 lower-risk cities in an effort to sustain a recent fall in the number of new coronavirus infections and deaths, state television reported on Saturday.

Alireza Raisi, spokesman for the national coronavirus task force, said on state TV that a curfew running from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., already in place in 108 so-called "orange" or medium-risk cities, will be extended to lower-risk "yellow" cities.

Andhra Pradesh Covid-19 tally reaches 8.80 lakh with 282 new additions

Confirmed cases of coronavirus touched 8.80 lakh in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday as the state added 282 afresh to its count while the active caseload fell further to 3,700.

The latest bulletin said 442 patients had recovered while only one death was reported in the state in 24 hours ending 9 am on Saturday. The total recoveries now increased to 8,69,920 and deaths to 7,092.

Covid-19: Second UK returnee tests positive in Indore

A 39-year-old man, who recently returned to Indore in Madhya Pradesh from the UK, on Saturday became the second such person to be found infected with coronavirus in the last two days, an official said.

However, it was not yet clear if the strain he is carrying is the same as the one detected in the European nation, he added.

The man, who returned from the UK on December 6, is fine and is being closely monitored, while his family has been placed under isolation at their home in Rau, said Indore district Covid-19 prevention nodal officer Amit Malakar.

Fire at Egyptian hospital kills 7 coronavirus patients

An intensive care unit at an Egyptian hospital caught fire on Saturday, killing seven coronavirus patients, officials said.

Local police said the blaze erupted at a private hospital in Obour, an outlying district of the greater Cairo area.

The fire injured at least five others. The injured and other patients were evacuated to nearby hospitals, the police said.

One UK returnee tests coronavirus positive in Dombivli

One of the over 50 persons, who returned to the Kalyan Dombivli region in Maharashtra's Thane district from the UK in the last one month, has tested Covid- 19 positive, the authorities said on Saturday.

As many as 55 persons have returned to the areas under Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) limits from the UK from November 25 onwards, the civic body said.

Odisha reports 334 new Covid-19 cases, 4 fresh fatalities

Odisha's Covid-19 tally mounted to 3,28,201 on Saturday as 334 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.

Four more people succumbed to the infection, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 1,857, he said.

As many as 194 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 140 infections were detected during contact tracing, the official said.

UK scientists trial instant immunity antibody drug treatment for Covid-19

Scientists in the UK have begun trials of innovative antibody drug treatments that they hope could provide instant protection against Covid-19.

The University College London Hospitals NHS Trust (UCLH) said that the researchers in the Storm Chase study believe a Long Acting AntiBody (LAAB) known as AZD7442, developed by AstraZeneca, may offer immediate and long-term protection to people who have been recently exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and prevent them developing Covid-19.

First confirmed cases in Spain of British virus variant

Four cases of a coronavirus variant believed to be particularly infectious that recently emerged in Britain have been confirmed in Madrid, the regional government said Saturday, the first cases detected in Spain.

All four cases involved people who recently arrived from the UK, the Madrid regional government's deputy health chief Antonio Zapatero told a news conference.

Spain receives first Covid vaccine doses

Spain received its first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine on Saturday, a day before the country is set to begin its immunisation campaign.

A refrigerated truck arrived at Pfizer's warehouse in Guadalajara in central Spain with the shipment, three days after it left the company's factory in Puurs in northeast Belgium, the health ministry said in a statement.

Scientists decode how coronavirus interacts with proteins in human cells

Scientists have charted the first atlas showing how the genetic material of the novel coronavirus interacts with the proteins in human cells, an advance which may provide a starting point for the development of new treatments against Covid-19.

According to the researchers, including those from Broad Institute in the US, one of the most urgent tasks is to understand all the molecular interactions between the virus and the cells it infects.

They explained that a detailed understanding of these interactions will help identify the processes in host cells which favour the multiplication of the virus, and the ones which activate the host immune system.

Egypt reports over 1,000 new coronavirus cases

Egypt has reported over 1,000 new coronavirus cases, its highest total in months, as authorities appeal to people to stick to preventive measures to avoid a lockdown.

The Health Ministry on Saturday reported 1,113 new cases, as well as 49 deaths.

The new numbers have brought the country's official tally to more than 130,126 cases, including at least 7,309 deaths.

Russia tops 3 million Covid-19 infections

Russia on Saturday passed three million confirmed coronavirus infections, as authorities hold out against reimposing a national lockdown while the country is battered by a second wave.

Official figures showed that a total of 3,021,964 cases have been detected, with 54,226 deaths.

In the past 24 hours, 29,258 new infections and 567 deaths were registered in Russia, fourth on the list of hardest-hit countries worldwide.

Since winter began, each week has brought new records for new cases and deaths, with epicentres in capital Moscow and second-largest city Saint Petersburg.

Liquorice for Covid-19? Turkmenistan President claims so

Well-known for his baffling botanical pronouncements, Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov claimed Saturday that liquorice could cure coronavirus, the latest supposed miracle cure in a country still claiming zero cases.

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Ahmedabad starts online Covid-19 vaccine registration

The civic body in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city has launched an online facility for people from priority groups to register for the Covid-19 vaccine, an official said on Saturday.

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The model of tracing, testing, and treatment was found to be useful due to community participation and the vital role played by private doctors in Dharavi with the guidance of the bureaucracy and public health department: Dr. Pradeep Awate, State Surveillance Officer, Maharashtra.

8 UK returnees to Kerala test positive for Covid-19; samples sent to NIV, Pune

Eight people who recently returned from the UK to Kerala, have tested positive for coronavirus and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune for genomic analysis.

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India log daily deaths below 300 after over 6 months, 22,273 new cases reported

India's daily new Covid-19 fatality count was reported below 300 after over six months, taking the death toll to 1,47,343, while the infection tally rose to 1,01,69,118, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.

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UK returnee tests Covid-19 positive in Maharashtra's Aurangabad

A woman, who had returned to Aurangabad in Maharashtra from the UK in the last few weeks, has tested coronavirus positive, officials said on Saturday.

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A total of 317 new Covid-19 cases, 536 discharges and 2 deaths were reported in Telangana yesterday, says State Health Department.

Total recovered cases are nearing 97.5 lakh making India's cumulative recoveries highest in the world. Recovery rate at 95.78% today. India’s present active caseload of 2,81,667 consists of 2.77% of India’s total positive cases: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

India report less than 30,000 daily new cases continuously for the last 13 days while daily recoveries outnumber daily new cases successively since last 29 days: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Maharashtra: Covid-19 claimed 312 cops, infected 28,500

A poignant video that went viral in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic summed up the year for the police force in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

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With 22,272 new Covid-19 infections, India's total cases rise to 1,01,69,118. 251 new deaths take the toll to 1,47,343 . Total active cases is at 2,81,667. Total discharged cases at 97,40,108 with 22,274 new discharges in the last 24 hours.

Goa empty beach shacks, cancelled chartered flights mark a year

Coronavirus cast a long shadow over the tourism in Goa as the coastal state normally bustling with domestic and foreign tourists tried to cope with effects of the pandemic.

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Vodka in the coffee cup: Pandemic drinking gone too far

Martha Duke, who has been sober since January 1, 2018, didn’t set out to become an abstinence guru during the “what does it matter anyway” drinking frenzy of 2020.

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Total number of samples tested up to 25th December is 16,71,59,289 including 8,53,527 samples tested yesterday: ICMR.

Don't panic over second wave of Covid-19, says district minister

District-in-Charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary urged people not to panic regarding the second wave of Covid-19 infectionsbut to take all precautionary measures to check the spread of the virus.

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First confirmed case in France of British virus variant: Ministry

The first case of a particularly infectious coronavirus variant that recently emerged in Britain has been confirmed in France, the health ministry said on Friday.

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After early success, South Korea sleepwalks into Covid-19 crisis

South Korea had seemed to be winning the fight against the coronavirus: Quickly ramping up its testing, contact-tracing and quarantine efforts paid off when it weathered an early outbreak without the economic pain of a lockdown. But a deadly resurgence has reached new heights during Christmas week, prompting soul-searching on how the nation sleepwalked into a crisis.

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Specific New Year guidelines soon for Bengaluru: Bommai

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said that Bengaluru-specific guidelines will be issued to regulate New Year celebrations amid anxiety over the new strain of the virus, which resulted in the night curfew fiasco.

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10 more UK returnees test Covid-19 positive in Karnataka

Dr Vijayendra BK, Chief Health Officer, Public Health, BBMP, said, “Seven of these are fromBengaluru. We haven’t received the lab reports for Friday but on Thursday, four patients tested positive, on Wednesday one patient tested positive, and on Tuesday two patients tested positive. We have only been focussing on the UK returnees from the past few days and contact tracing for these patients is underway.”

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Japan confirms first cases of new coronavirus variant in country

Japan's health ministry has confirmed the country's first cases of infection with the new variant of the coronavirus that was identified in Britain.

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Covid pandemic has taught us to invest in R&D, strive to become self-reliant: Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said the coronavirus pandemic has taught us the need to invest in and sustain research and development and to strive to become self-reliant, and urged the private sector to partner with various institutes to promote innovation in the country.

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Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.