Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi sees 4,136 fresh Covid-19 cases, 33 deaths; West Bengal records 4,127 new Covid-19 cases, 60 fatalities

India's Covid-19 tally crossed 78.6 lakh cases and the death toll touched 1,18,534 with 578 new fatalities. High caseload states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been recording a steady dip in their daily tally while Kerala continues to post high numbers. India's active cases remain below 7 lakh for the second consecutive day. Active cases now comprise only 8.71% of the total positive cases of the country.

We're not going to control Covid-19 pandemic, says Trump aide Mark Meadows

Donald Trump's chief of staff said Sunday that "we're not going to control the pandemic," drawing a rebuke from the Biden campaign that "they are admitting defeat."

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Xinjiang sees 137 Covid-19 cases, China ramps up testing

Chinese officials were racing Sunday to smother a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country's far northwest after 137 new infections were discovered.

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According to PTI,Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar records 97 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the district's infection tally to 16,864

People watch Ramlila, an re-enactment of the life of Hindu Lord Rama, during Dussehra festival celebrations amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New Delhi, October 25, 2020. Credit: Reuters Photo.

Spain declares nationwide state of emergency over Covid-19, says Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared a national state of emergency Sunday, and a curfew covering all of Spain except the Canary Islands, in a bid to curb the second wave of coronavirus cases.

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Qatar signs deal to buy Moderna Covid-19 vaccine

Qatar has signed an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to buy its potential Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it is approved and released for global use, state news agency QNA quoted a health official as saying on Sunday.

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UK doctors demand free meals for kids as Covid-19 fuels hunger

Paediatricians are urging the British government to reverse course and provide free meals for poor children during school holidays as the Covid-19 pandemic pushes more families into poverty.

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Bulgarian PM Borissov tests positive for coronavirus

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Sunday he had tested positive for coronavirus after taking two tests.

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Free Covid-19 vaccine in Bihar, are others from Bangladesh? Uddhav to BJP

Maharashtra Chief MinisterUddhavThackeray on Sunday slammed the BJP over its poll promise of free Covid-19 vaccine in Bihar, adding does that party think those from other states hail from Bangladesh or Kazakhstan.

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Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths on October 25

Total number of confirmed positive cases in India reaches 78,91,261; death toll stands at 1,18,771 as of October 25

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Maharashtra reports 6,059 new Covid-19 cases, 5,648 recoveries and 112 deaths, as per their Public Health Department.

Mysuru Palace gears up for low-key Jamboo Savari to end Dasara amid Covid-19 pandemic

A simple celebration of the Jamboo Savari, the grand finale of Mysuru Dasara, is set to be held virtuallyon the Mysuru Palace premiseson Monday in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

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88 prisoners cured of Covid-19 in Jammu district jail

Eighty-eight prisoners, who were earlier tested positive for Covid-19, have recovered in the district jail in Amphalla here, bringing down the number of active cases in the prison to four, a senior official said on Sunday.

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Karnataka reports 4439 new Covid-19 cases, 32 deaths and 10,106 discharges in the last 24 hours

Nursing home resident Maria cries as she pets a dog who reminds her of her own at the Maria Vieira Bazani nursing home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Credit: AP

Jammu and Kashmir record 532 new Covid-19 cases, pushing the state's tally to 91,861.

Active patients are 7,565. Total deaths stand at 1,438.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das tests positive for Covid-19

Tamil Nadu reports 2,869 new Covid-19 infections, taking total cases to 7,09,005 out of which 30,606 are active patients.

Low visitor turnout at centuries-old Durga Puja in Kolkata

The 263-year-old Sovabazar Rajbari Durga Puja, which used to welcome thousands of revellers during the five-day carnival, witnessed a low visitor turnout this year in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

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Dane Hansen out of Italian Open golf after caddie Adam Drummond Covid-19 positive

Danish golfer Joachim B. Hansen has pulled out of the Italian Open before Sunday's final round after his caddie Adam Drummond tested positive for coronavirus.

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Sarayna Biswas, 6, wearing a face mask and dressed as Kumari wearing gold, takes part in a ritual during the Durga Puja festival celebrations at a pandal, or a temporary platform, amidst the outbreak of thecoronavirusdisease, in Kolkata. Credit: Reuters Photo.

Nagaland reports 111 new Covid-19 infections and 55 recoveries, says state health minister.

Andhra Pradesh reports 2,997 new Covid-19 infections, 21 deaths

Dubai introduces facial recognition on public transport

Dubai is introducing a facial recognition system on public transport to beef up security, officials said Sunday, as the emirate prepares to host the global Expo exhibition.

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China's Kashgar launches testing, closes schools after coronavirus case

Kashgar in northwestern China's Xinjiang region are closing schools for a week and carrying out a city-wide coronavirus test, officials said on Sunday after one person was found to have the virus that causes Covid-19.

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Covid-19 recovery rate touches 90%; only 8.5% of total caseload active in India

With a total of 70,78,123 people having recuperated from Covid-19, the national recovery rate for the disease has touched90 per cent, while62,077people have recovered in a span of 24 hours as against 50,129 new cases of the infection reported in the same period, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

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Devotees, adhering to social distancing norms, offer prayers at Bankey Bihari temple after it reopened today, in Vrindavan, Sunday, October 25, 2020. Credit: PTI Photo

US disease expert Fauci says vaccine verdict due by early December

USinfectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Sunday it would be clear whether a Covid-19 vaccine was safe and effective by early December, but that more widespread vaccination would not be likely until later in 2021.

Hungary reported 3,149 new cases ofcoronaviruson Sunday, its highest single-day tally and jumping above 3,000 for the first time, the government said.

Pandemic to change India's insurance industry landscape, says IndiaFirst Life

The coronavirus pandemic will change the landscape of the insurance sector in the country in a big way as it is expected that insurance penetration will increase, expenses of companies will come down and there will be a conscious shift in the -mix, IndiaFirst Life deputy CEO Rushabh Gandhi said.

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Melbourne continues Covid-19 restrictions after spike in cases

A Covid-19 outbreak in the north of Melbourne has led health authorities in Australia's Victoria state to hold off on any further easing of restrictions in the beleaguered city.

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Devendra Fadnavis will now realise Covid-19 situation is serious: Sanjay Raut

Against the backdrop of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis contracting Covid-19, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said they were telling him to take care and he will now realise that the situation outside is serious.

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Time to reset expectations for world economy with Covid-19 untamed

Investors banking on a coronavirus vaccine to save the world economy in 2021 need to temper their ambitions as scientists increasingly warn of a long and difficult road ahead.

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Bharat Biotech plans to unveil Covid vaccine by June 2021

Bharat Biotech plans to launch the indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine by June 2021. The pharma company was given nod to continue with phase III clinical trials on October 22. Covaxin is being developed in association with the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR).

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Sri Lanka increases coronavirus-curfew zones after spike in cases

Authorities in Sri Lanka increased the coronavirus-related curfew zones to 56 police divisions on Sunday, to check the virus spread through community-level transmission.

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Odisha reports 1,633 new Covid-19 cases, taking tally to over 2.81 lakh; death toll rises to 1,245 with 16 more fatalities

Ladakh reports 73 new Covid-19 cases, three deaths

Ladakh recorded three more coronavirus-related fatalities and 73 new cases, taking the death toll to 71 and infection tally to 5,913, officials said on Sunday.

A man carrying flowers walks in a crowded market a day before the Hindu festival of Dussehra amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease in Mumbai. Credit: Reuters Photo

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 11,176 to 429,181

The reported death toll rose by 29 to 10,032, the tally showed.

66 new cases push Arunachal's Covid-19 tally to 14,211

Single-day recoveries continued to outnumber new Covid-19 cases in Arunachal Pradesh, as 168 more people were cured of the disease while 66 fresh infections were reported in the northeastern state on Sunday, a health official said.

The new cases pushed the state's Covid-19 caseload to 14,211, he said.

Mainland China reports 15 new coronavirus cases vs 28 previous day

China on Sunday reported 15 new coronavirus cases in the mainland, down from 28 cases the previous day, the health commission said on Sunday.

All 15 of the new infections reported for Saturday were imported, according to a statement by the National Health Commission. It reported 19 new asymptomatic patients, compared with 27 a day earlier.

Bullish on India's power to shape the global agenda, the WEF's Founder and Chairman Klaus Schwab has said the country's early policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic was strong and now its biggest opportunity lies in leapfrogging to a more digital and sustainable economy.

Sri Lanka increases coronavirus-curfew zones after spike in cases

Authorities in Sri Lanka increased the coronavirus-related curfew zones to 56 police divisions on Sunday, to check the virus spread through community-level transmission.

So far, the island nation has reported 7,521 Covid-19 cases. The virus death toll rose to 15 on Saturday after a 56-year-old heart patient died in the North Western Province due to coronavirus complication.

Mizoram to shut reopened schools due to rising number of locally transmitted Covid-19 cases

The Mizoram government has decided to shut all schools that were reopened for students of classes 10 and 12 due to the rising number of locally transmitted Covid-19 cases and also because some pupils have tested positive for the infection, Education Minister Lalchhandama Ralte said on Sunday.

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Yes Bank CEO girds for Covid-19 impact

The chief executive officer of Yes Bank Ltd., who helped the lender emerge from India’s biggest-ever bailout, is girding for fallout from the pandemic.

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US sees record Covid-19 cases for second day straight

The United States saw a record-high number of new daily Covid-19 cases for the second day in a row on Saturday, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed, as warnings grew over its spread.

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Airlines suffering from business class blues amid Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in the era of video meetings. But can Zoom really replace in-person meetings that require business executives to travel?

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Members of Mike Pence’s inner circle test positive for coronavirus

Two top advisers to Vice President Mike Pence have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past few days, people briefed on the matter said, raising new questions about the safety protocols at the White House, where masks are not routinely worn.

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Telangana recorded 978 Covid-19 cases, 1,446 recoveries and 4 deaths yesterday, taking total cases to 2,31,252 including 2,10,480 recoveries, 1,307 deaths and 19,465 active cases.

Total 10,25,23,469 samples tested for Covid-19 up to October 24. Of these, 11,40,905 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

India reported 578 deaths in 24 hours; death toll stands at 118,534

62,077 single-day Covid-19 recoveries took the total recoveries to 70,78,123

India reports 50,129 new Covid-19 cases; tally crosses 78.6 lakh

Damage done by Covid-19 is lesser in India as the country's administration alerted public in advance. Precautionary measures were taken & rules were made. People took extra precautions as there was fear of Corona in their minds. Everyone did their bit: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Colombia surpasses one million Covid-19 cases

Colombia on Saturday surpassed the benchmark of one million cases of Covid-19 registered in the country since the beginning of the pandemic, the health ministry announced.

58 new Covid-19 cases reported in Mizoram, taking the total number of cases to 2,447

The number of active cases is at 249 while 2,198 people have been discharged so far.

No death reported in the state till date

18 new Covid-19 cases and 8 recoveries reported in Andaman and Nicobar in the last 24 hours

Total number of cases rise to 4,225 including 199 active cases, 58 deaths and 3,968 recoveries.

In a significant achievement, India's total recoveries have crossed the landmark milestone of 70 lakhs. The top 4 states account for more than half of the total recovered cases. About 44% active caseload of the country is contributed by them: Ministry of Health

Covid-19's other toll: Unnecessary tests, huge hospital bills

In a physician chat group recently, a doctor who treats hospitalized patients made a recommendation to our group of 38,000 members that left me startled and alarmed. She shared her protocol for all Covid-19 patients admitted to the hospital: every one of them gets not only a chest x-ray but an entire battery of special tests, including a coagulation test, a leg ultrasound and a CT scan.

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Fresh Covid-19 cases fall below 5,000 in Karnataka

The number of fresh Covid cases dropped below 5,000 in Karnataka on Saturday. The state reported a total of 4,471 new cases of infection and 52 related fatalities. The total recoveries in the state exceeded seven lakh with the discharge of 7,153 patients on Saturday.

Delhi airport starts Covid-19 testing for international departures: Genestrings

International passengers taking their flights from the Delhi airport will soon be able to get themselves tested for Covid-19 right before their departure, Genestrings Diagnostic Center which operates the testing lab at the airport said on Saturday.

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Karnataka woman with Covid-19 spends 63 days in ICU

A 69-year-old woman with symptoms of Covid-19 has spent 63 days in an ICU, in a case seen as one of the longest stints of hospitalisation on public record so far in Karnataka.

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Holiday shoppers frustrate Covid-19 safety enforcers in Bengaluru

Thousands of festival shoppers overwhelmed the BBMP’s attempts to enforce social-distancing regulations in Chickpet, Bengaluru’s traditional business hub, on Saturday.

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Good morning readers, welcome to DH's live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.