Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi sees 3,299 new Covid-19 cases, 28 deaths push toll past 6,000 mark

India sees 61,871 new Covid-19 cases as tally nears 75-lakh mark, 1033 deaths in the last 24 hours. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total case tally stands at 74,94,551 including 7,83,311 active cases, 65,97,209 recoveries and 1,14,031 deaths. Stay tuned with DH for latest updates.

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US CDC reports 218,511 total deaths from coronavirus

The USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 8,081,489 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 53,157 from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 593 to 218,511.

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Saudi Arabia restarts prayers in Islam's holiest site

Saudi Arabia opened Sunday Islam's holiest site for prayers for the first time in seven months, and expanded the umrah pilgrimage to accommodate 15,000 worshippers as it relaxed coronavirus curbs.

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Himachal Pradesh records 170 new Covid-19 cases and 217 recoveries today. Total cases in the state rise to 18,967, including 263 deaths & 16,040 recoveries. Active cases stand at 2,630: State Health Department (ANI)

Haryana’s first zero Covid-19 death day in over four months

Haryana reported no coronavirus-related death on Sunday, the state's first zero Covid-19 fatality day in four-and-a-half months, but its caseload increased by 952, officials said.

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Hit hard by Covid-19, airlines push for tests over quarantines

What will it take to get people flying again? International air traffic is down 92 per cent this year as travellers worry about catching Covid-19 and government travel bans and quarantine rules make planning difficult.

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More than 250,000 coronavirus deaths in Europe: AFP tally

More than 250,000 have died from the new coronavirus across Europe according to an AFP tally at 1530 GMT based on official sources.

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A couple wearing special face mask have meals at a restaurant in Kolkata. Credit: PTI Photo.

Durga Puja woes rise on Covid-19 front as daily death toll crosses 1,000-mark again

With India’s 24-hour death toll crossing the 1,000-mark once again after 15 days, scientists on Sunday warned that West Bengal in general and Kolkata in particular, during the four days of Durga Puja, bear a high chance of spreading Covid-19, as per the current trend.

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Andhra Pradesh logs 3,986 new Covid-19 cases, 23 more deaths

Another 3,986 cases of coronavirus were added in Andhra Pradesh taking its overall tally to 7.83 lakh on Sunday. The total recoveries now increased to 7.40 lakh after 4,591 got cured in 24 hours, the latest bulletin said.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Wayanad to review Covid-19 situation

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit his constituency Wayanad to review Covid-19 situations from Monday to Wednesday.

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All 12 wrestlers at national camp test Covid-19 negative, training to begin from October 19: Coach Kuldeep Malik

All 12 women wrestlers who had assembled at SAI centre in Lucknow, including Olympic qualifier Vinesh Phogat, have tested negative for coronavirus, clearing the decks for the resumption of training from Monday.

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Nancy Pelosi says differences remain on testing in coronavirus relief

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Trans women beat Covid-19 blues to learn folk art

Till a few months ago, a group of trans women would visit shops in the ‘Pearl City’ of Thoothukudi asking for money to eke out a living. But Covid-19 pandemic changed their lives upside down, for good.

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Manipur records 322 new Covid-19cases and 5 deaths today; the total number of positive cases in the state stands at 15,463 including 11,741 recoveries, 3,606 active cases and 116 deaths: State Health Department

India can control Covid-19 pandemic by February 2021, says government-appointed panel

No fresh lockdowns should be imposed on district or state level to contain the spread of Covid-19 unless There is an imminent danger of healthcare facilities being overwhelmed, according to a government-appointed committee chaired by IIT Hyderabad professor M Vidyasagar.

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Punjab's Health Dept director conducts surprise check at govt hospitals

With a view to further improve the emergency healthcare services in health institutions, Punjab's Director, Health and Family Welfare, Manjit Singh, paid surprise visits to various government hospitals in four districts in the state.

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Train passengers wearing facemasks as a preventative measure against the Covid-19 are pictured at a railway station in New Delhi. Credit: AFP

29 more Covid-19 deaths, over 2,500 fresh cases reported in Uttar Pradesh

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Covid-19 community transmission limited to certain districts, not happening across country: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said community transmission of the coronavirus infection is restricted to certain districts in a limited number of states, clarifying that "this is not happening across the country".

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Ireland to impose nationwide Covid-19 curbs on Monday

Ireland will bring in "decisive" nationwide Covid-19 restrictions on Monday but will stop short of reintroducing the kind of lockdown imposed earlier this year, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said on Friday.

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Covid-19 is additional layer to 'gender equality in education' challenge: UNESCO report

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered an education crisis, fuelled by deep and multiple forms of inequality having gender roots and implications, the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report by UNESCO has pointed out.

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Covid-19 prompts workers, corporates to adopt gig economy

At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the job landscape, gig employment is gaining ground and is offering huge potential for both blue-collar as well as white-collar workers, according to experts.

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An employee sanitises a coach as the metro network prepares to resume services after more than a 6-month shutdown due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, at the Andheri metro station in Mumbai. Credit: AFP Photo.

No fresh lockdowns recommended at local level: Government-appointed panel on Covid-19

No fresh lockdowns should be imposed on district or state level to contain the spread of Covid-19 unless There is an imminent danger of healthcare facilities being overwhelmed, according to a government-appointed committee chaired by IIT Hyderabad professor M Vidyasagar.

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Kerala paying price for 'gross negligence' during Onam; no shortage of medical oxygen: Harsh Vardhan

With Kerala witnessing a spike in coronavirus infections recently, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said the state was paying the "price for gross negligence" during Onam festivities when unlocking of services along with an increase in in travel for trade and tourism led to the spread of Covid-19.

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UK government scientists warn Covid-19 reinfections 'to be expected'

The UK government's senior scientific advisers have warned that reinfections with Covid-19 are "to be expected" as the novel coronavirus spreads and that the timeframe between each infection may be “relatively short”.

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Covid-19 biggest hurdle for New Zealand's Ardern after 'tectonic' election

Jacinda Ardern's landslide election win gives her a mandate for the transformational change she has been promising New Zealand for three years, but the Covid-19 pandemic may limit what she can actually do.

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An idol of Goddess Durga at coronavirus theme-based community puja pandal for worship ahead of the Durga puja festival, at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district. Credit: PTI Photo.

Nearly 100 people fined for violating Covid-19 norms in Delhi Metro

The Delhi Police has issued 98 challans to metro passengers for violating guidelines pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said on Sunday.

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BMW looking to cash in on people spending on luxury cars as coronavirus curbs holidays

With the coronavirus pandemic curbing international holidays to exotic locations, German auto major BMW is looking to cash in on people spending on luxury cars in India even as it expects sales this year to be lower than 2019, according to a top company official.

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According to the World Health Organisation, during emergencies like Covid-19,the risk of outbreaks like measles & polio increases.

Malaysia reports 871 new coronavirus cases with 7 new deaths. (PTI)

No fresh Covid-19 death in Puducherry; positivity rate drops to 4.3%

In a welcome development, the union territory of Puducherry reported no fresh fatalities due to Covid-19 on Sunday for the first time this month while the test positivity rate dropped to 4.3 per cent.

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Workers sanitize the premises of Taj Mahal as a preventative measure against the Covid-19 in Agra. Credit: AFP Photo

Russia shuns tough restrictions even as infections soar

It's Friday night in Moscow, and popular bars and restaurants in the city center are packed. No one except the staff is wearing a mask or bothers to keep their distance. There is little indication at all that Russia is being swept by a resurgence of coronavirus infections.

Italy approves new stimulus package to help coronavirus-hit economy

China passes biosecurity law to prevent infectious diseases

China's top legislative body passed a new biosecurity law aimed at preventing and managing infectious diseases, state news agency Xinhua reported late on Saturday.

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UK families gobble up teenier turkeys for Covid-19 Christmas

Squabbling over a treat of apples in autumnal sunshine, Mark Chilcott's feisty turkeys look pretty hefty. In fact, they're a smaller breed destined for downsized family dinners this Covid Christmas.

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Prajavani journalist passes away due to Covid-19

A 35-year-old Prajavani journalist passed away due to Covid-19 in a private hospital on Sunday.

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No fresh Covid-19 death in Puducherry; positivity rate drops to 4.3%

In a welcome development, the union territory of Puducherry reported no fresh fatalities due to Covid-19 on Sunday for the first time this month while the test positivity rate dropped to 4.3 per cent.

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Indonesia reports 4,105 new coronavirus infections, 80 deaths

Indonesia reported 4,105 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, taking the total to 361,867, data from the country's Covid-19 task force showed.

The data added 80 new deaths, taking the total to 12,511.

Both the number of cases and deaths in the Southeast Asian country are the highest in the region.

Once the vaccine is available, there will be enough resources for delivering and making it accessible to citizens: Paul

We cannot rule out possible second wave of coronavirus infections in India in winter season: Expert panel chief and Niti Aayog Member Paul

Odisha's Covid-19 tally mounts to 2,68,364 with 2,019 new cases; 14 fresh fatalities push death toll to 1,135

Ladakh records one more Covid-related death; 93 new cases

The Union Territory of Ladakh has reported 93 new Covid-19 cases and one more virus-related death, taking the infection caseload to 5,534 and the fatalities to 66, officials said on Sunday.

A person wears a scarf as a protective face mask in Melbourne after it became the first city in Australia to enforce mask-wearing in public as part of efforts to curb a resurgence of the coronavirus disease. Credit: Reuters Photo

Thailand reports three more local coronavirus infections

Thailand reported three additional locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, a day after reporting its first local infections in more than a month.

Jharkhand reports 542 new Covid-19 cases, 8 fresh fatalities

Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally rose to 95,967 on Sunday as 542 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.

Eight more patients succumbed to the infection, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 832, he said.

Living coronavirus found on frozen food packaging in China

China's health authority has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish the port city of Qingdao.

It is for the first time in the world that living novel coronavirus has been isolated from the outer packaging of cold-chain food, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement on Saturday.

New Zealand reports new coronavirus case day after 'Covid' election

New Zealand confirmed a new community case of Covid-19 Sunday, two weeks after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared that the South Pacific nation had "beat the virus again".

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Australia's Covid-19 hotspot to partially lift lockdown restrictions

Australia's state of Victoria, the epicentre of the country's coronavirus outbreak, will see some of its months-long restrictions eased as of Monday but retailers and restaurants must wait longer, the state's premier said on Sunday.

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Saudi Arabia allows devotees to pray in Al-Haram mosque in seven months

Saudi Arabia allowed its citizens and residents inside the kingdom to perform prayers in one of the most holy religious sites in Islam, Al-Haram mosque in Mecca, for the first time in seven months, state television reported early on Sunday.

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Octogenarian doctor in Maharashtra braves Covid-19 to treat villagers

At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has kept most senior citizens indoors, an 87-year-old doctor from Mul in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district has been going out of his way to attend to his patients in remote villages.

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Coronavirus survives on skin five times longer than flu: Study

The coronavirus remains active on human skin for nine hours, Japanese researchers have found, in a discovery they said showed the need for frequent hand washing to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Airlines face tough winter as recovery fails to materialise

Airlines face a long, hard winter after a much hoped for rebound from the coronavirus crisis failed to materialise, prompting savage cost cutting programmes and fresh calls for government support.

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Arunachal Pradesh reports 179 new Covid-19 cases; tally rises to 13,348

At least 179 people, including three security personnel, have tested positive for Covid-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, pushing the coronavirus caseload to 13,348, a senior health official said here on Sunday.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands's Covid-19 tally rises to 4,083 with 11 new cases

The Covid-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 4,083 as 11 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said on Sunday.

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Karnataka to hit 10 lakh cases in 3 weeks, may need 50,000 beds: Experts

Karnataka might require 22,500 oxygen beds, 16,800 ICU beds and 11,200 ventilator beds over the next three to six weeks, an expert has warned.

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India's Covid-19 tally stands at 74,94,551 including 7,83,311 active cases, 65,97,209 recoveries and 1,14,031 deaths.

India sees 61,871 new Covid-19 cases as tally nears 75-lakh mark, 1033 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Artisans work on a model of a migrant mother symbolising Hindu Goddess Durga, holding a child and being surrounded by relief material as a theme decoration to create awareness about the migrant labourers' social issues during the lockdown previously imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, at a makeshift place for worship ahead of 'Durga Puja' in Kolkata. Credit: AFP Photo

Paris under curfew as Europe battles soaring coronavirus caseload

Millions of Europeans faced tough new coronavirus restrictions on Saturday as governments stepped up efforts to slow the surge in infections, after the World Health Organization reported a "very concerning" 44-per cent rise in European cases over one week.

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Citing Covid-19, New York thwarts wedding with up to 10,000 guests

Authorities in New York ordered the cancellation of a wedding that could have brought together more than 10,000 people in violation of rules to fight the spread of the coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.

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Former UK PM Tony Blair accused of breaking quarantine rules after US trip

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been accused of breaking UK Covid-19 restrictions after failing to self-isolate for two weeks following a two-day trip to the United States, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

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A total of 9,42,24,190 samples tested for Covid-19 up to 17th October. Of these, 9,70,173 samples were tested yesterday.

Covid-19: Doctors face burnout, some opt to go on vacation

Overcome by fatigue and a sense of burnout, healthcare professionals, on the frontline fighting Covid-19 for over six months, are trying to regain their peace of mind by taking a break. They are into a wide range of activities from trekking to meditation to long rides.

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Donald Trump shows new determination to minimise coronavirus

In the week since he emerged from coronavirus isolation, US President Donald Trump has demonstrated new determination to minimize the threat of the virus that has killed more than 215,000 Americans and complicated his chances of winning another four years in the White House.

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Australia's Covid-19 hotspot to partially lift lockdown restrictions

Australia's state of Victoria, the epicentre of the country's coronavirus outbreak, will see some of its months-long restrictions eased as of Monday but retailers and restaurants must wait longer, the state's premier said on Sunday.

Mainland China reports 13 new Covid-19 cases vs 13 a day earlier

China reported 13 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for October 17, the same as a day earlier, the health commission said on Sunday.

Metro ops to operate at 3rd of pre-Covid passenger capacity

Metro train services will be only half of the pre-Covid-19 levels and will operate at a third of the passenger capacity once the services restart next week, a top official said on Saturday.

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Global coronavirus cases rise by one-day record of 4,00,000

Global coronavirus cases rose by more than 400,000 for the first time late on Friday, a record one-day increase as much of Europe enacts new restrictions to curb the outbreak.

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Slovakia to test whole country for coronavirus: Igor Matovic

Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic said Saturday the eurozone member will test every resident ages 10 and up for the coronavirus, amid an uptick in infections.

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India has exponentially scaled up its testing capacity from one in January to more than 9.32 cr at present. The very high testing has resulted in the continuous falling positivity rate. It has now fallen below 8%