Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi records 424 fresh Covid-19 cases, lowest in over 7 months

The number of fresh Covid-19 cases was recorded below 20,000 in India for the second consecutive day, taking the country's caseload to 1,03,23,965, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 99.27 lakh. The number of active Covid-19 cases remained below three lakh for the 13th consecutive day on January 3. Meanwhile, on the vaccine front, India approved two vaccines against Covid-19, including a home-made one, for commercial roll out in an emergency mode, setting the stage for vaccinating 30 crore Indians over the next few months starting with doctors, nurses and front-line workers. Stay tuned to DH for the latest updates.

Gujarat sees 715 new Covid-19 cases, 938 recoveries

Gujarat's tally of coronavirus positive cases rose to 2,47,228 on Sunday with the addition of 715 fresh infections, the state health department said.

With four more deaths, the number of people who have succumbed to the viral disease in the state went up to 4,318, it said.

A total of 938 patients were discharged from various hospitals during the day, taking the count of recoveries in Gujarat to 2,33,660, the health department said in a in a release.

Bihar reports 282 new Covid-19 cases, 2 fresh deaths

Bihar's Covid-19 tally rose to 2,53,933 as 282 more people tested positive for the virus, while two fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,405, a health department bulletin said on Sunday.

The Covid-19 recovery rate in the state climbed to 97.75 per cent as 631 more people recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,48,210, it said.

The two Covid-19 deaths were reported from Patna and Jehanbad.

4,600 fresh Covid-19 cases, 25 deaths in Kerala

Kerala added 4,600 new Covid-19 cases and 25 deaths on Sunday, taking the tally to 7.75 lakh and the toll to 3,141, while no positive cases were detected in U.K returnees, Health Minister K K Shailaja said.

"No positive cases were reported in the last 24 hours from those who had returned from the United Kingdom," she said.

Thirty seven people who returned from the U.K. to Kerala recently tested positive for Covid-19 The day also saw 4,668 people getting cured as the total recoveries rose to 7,07,244, while active cases stood at 65,278, she said in a release.

Maharashtra sees 3,282 fresh Covid-19 cases, 2,064 recoveries

Maharashtra's Covid-19 tally rose to 19,42,136 on Sunday with the addition of 3,282 new cases, the state health department said.

With 35 more patients succumbing to the viral disease, the overall death toll in the state mounted to 49,666.

A total of 2,064 patients were discharged after treatment during the day, taking the count of recoveries in Maharashtra to 18,36,999, the department said in a release.

769 new Covid-19 cases take UP's tally to 5,88,171; death toll 8,403

The Covid-19 death toll in Uttar Pradesh rose to 8,403 on Sunday with 17 more fatalities, while 769 new cases pushed the infection tally to 5,88,171, an official statement issued here said.

Of the new deaths, two each were reported from Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Bijnor.

Of the 769 fresh Covid-19 cases, Lucknow recorded 134 cases, the UP government said in the statement.

Nagaland reports one Covid-19 case

Nagaland on Sunday reported only one new case of Covid-19, pushing the tally in the state to 11,930, an official said.

Nine more patients recovered from the disease, taking the total number of Covid-19 recoveries to 11,542, the official said.

Goa sees 65 Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths, 83 recoveries

Goa's coronavirus caseload went up by 65 and reached 51,295 on Sunday, while two patients died and 83 recovered during the day, an official said.

The toll in the state is now 741 and the recovery count stands at 49,653, leaving it with 901 active cases, he added.

With 1,322 samples examined on Sunday, the overall number of tests conducted in Goa went up to 4,03,611.

MP govt orders closure of Covid centres; Congress questions logic

The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered closure of all COVID care centres in the state, except those in Bhopal, from January 1 in view of the low occupancy of beds, as per an official order made available on Sunday.

This decision evoked a sharp reaction from the opposition Congress, with its state unit president Kamal Nath questioning the rationale behind the order.

Twin challenges: 3,276 cops infected by Covid-19, 60 personnel killed in terror attacks in J&K

Fighting bravely on twin fronts of terrorism and coronavirus, 60 security personnel were killed in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, while 3,276 policemen were infected by Covid-19 this year.

A total of 16 Jammu and Kashmir policemen and 44 security forces personnel were killed in terror attacks this year, officials said.

"As many as 3,276 police personnel tested positive for coronavirus while fighting the disease as front-line workers. Fifteen personnel died due to the disease,” a senior police officer told PTI.

Assam's Covid-19 toll climbs to 1,051, tally at 2,16,289

Assam reported two more deaths due to Covid-19, pushing the death toll to 1,051, while the coronavirus tally mounted to 2,16,289 with 38 fresh cases, the National Health Mission (NHM) said in a bulletin.

Number of active Covid-19 cases in AP falls to 3,000 level

The number of active Covid-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh fell to the 3,000 level even as the state added 232 fresh cases and saw 352 recoveries and four deaths in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday.

The state Covid-19 chart now has 8,83,082 confirmed positives, 8,72,897 recoveries and 7,115 deaths so far, a health department bulletin said. The active caseload was 3,070, it said.

Odisha logs 192 new Covid-19 cases, three more deaths

Odisha's Covid-19 caseload on Sunday mounted to 3,30,309 with 192 more people testing positive for the infection, while three fresh fatalities pushed the toll to 1,883, a health department official said.Of the 192 cases, 109 were reported from various quarantine centres, and the rest detected during contact tracing, the official said.Six districts -- Bhadrak, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar and Malkangiri -- did not report any new case since Saturday.

Delhi records 424 fresh Covid-19 cases, lowest in over seven months

Delhi recorded 424 fresh Covid-19 cases, the lowest in over seven months, and 14 more fatalities due to the disease on Sunday, even as the positivity rate slipped to 0.62 per cent, authorities said.

The Covid-19 case tally in the city stands at over 6.26 lakh and the death toll due to the disease has climbed to 10,585, they said.

Delhi recorded 494 cases on Saturday while the positivity rate was 0.73 per cent.

Germany poised to extend coronavirus lockdown

Germany is likely to extend a national lockdown beyond Jan. 10 to curb coronavirus infection rates that are still running high and putting huge strains on hospitals and health workers, politicians said at the weekend.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and regional leaders are expected to agree to extend the restrictions when they convene on Tuesday. It is not yet clear how long the extension would last.

"The numbers are still too high, so we will have to prolong the restrictions," Health Minister Jens Spahn told RTL television in an interview on Saturday evening.

Momota positive for Covid-19, Japan to miss Thailand Open: association

Badminton world number one Kento Momota tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, prompting the withdrawal of all Japan's players from this month's Thailand Open, Japan's Badminton Association said.

Momota was looking to make his international comeback in Bangkok after almost a year out following a car crash that left him with serious injuries.

Thailand mulls more restrictions amid second wave of coronavirus

Thailand's government held off from ordering new nationwide business shutdowns on Sunday amid a wave of coronavirus cases but empowered some provincial governors to set their own restrictions and pleaded with the public not to travel.

Thailand, which had largely controlled the virus by mid-2020, saw a second wave of outbreaks beginning in December.

On Sunday, it confirmed 315 new coronavirus cases, the majority of which are local transmission, bringing its total to 7,694 cases and 64 deaths since its first case last January.

Schools are safe, say UK PM Johnson as Covid-19 cases surge

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday schools were safe, and advised parents to send their children in, in areas where rules allow it, responding to concerns about the surge in Covid-19 cases as classes are due to restart after Christmas.

"There is no doubt in my mind that schools are safe, and that education is a priority," he told the BBC.

He said the government might need to consider tightening lockdown restrictions, but declined to give examples of what that might look like.

WHO welcomes India's Covid-19 vaccine approval

The World Health Organisation on Sunday welcomed India's decision giving emergency use authorisation to Covid-19 vaccines, saying it will help "intensify" and "strengthen" its fight against the ongoing pandemic.

India's drugs regulator has approved Oxford Covid-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country.

It paves the way for the roll out of at least two vaccines in the country in the coming days.

Chemotherapy drug outperforms remdesivir against coronavirus in lab experiments: Study

A chemotherapy medication originally developed to treat cancer could potentially be repurposed to inhibit the replication of the novel coronavirus and treat Covid-19, according to a study based on computer simulations and lab experiments.

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India's active Covid-19 caseload drops below 2.5 lakh

The Covid-19 active caseload in India has dropped below 2.5 lakh with the recoveries exceeding new cases and the low number of fatalities per day, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

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Thailand sets more restrictions amid Covid-19 second wave

Thailand's government held off from ordering new nationwide business shutdowns on Sunday amid a new wave of coronavirus cases but empowered some provincial governors to set their own restrictions and pleaded with the public not to travel.

(Reuters)

Key takeaways from DCGI media brief on Covid-19 vaccine

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved Bharat Biotech's vaccine candidate Covaxin for restricted usage in emergency situations in India, a day after Serum Institute of India's vaccine candidate got the approval for emergency use.

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Coronavirus vaccine news updates: PM Modi hails vaccine approvals, congratulates scientists and innovators

Click here for latest updates on Covid-19 vaccine

Drugs Controller General of India briefs the media on Covid-19 vaccine.

Will 250 lanterns be enough to save Chinatown?

Two days before Christmas, Mott Street, right in the heart of Chinatown, was filled with lights overnight. Residents woke up to 250 violet, pink, orange and gold lanterns hanging above the street. Local artists had painted whimsical designs and auspicious characters onto them: fu, for good fortune; he, for peace. Other characters stood for love, happiness, wealth and longevity.

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India sees 18,177 new Covid-19 cases, 217 deaths

India's Covid-19 tally of cases climbed to 1,03,23,965 with 18,177 new cases in a day, while 99,27,310 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 96.15 per cent on Sunday, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

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People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alleged corruption and his handling of the coronavirus disease. Credit: Reuters Photo

4.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered; distributed 13 million: CDC

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had administered 4,225,756 first doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country as of Saturday morning and distributed 13,071,925 doses.

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US news star Larry King hospitalised with Covid-19: Report

Veteran talk show host Larry King has been hospitalised with Covid-19, US media reported Saturday. Citing a "source close to the family," CNN reported that King, one of the network's biggest stars, has been hospitalised for more than a week at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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Saudi Arabia ends entry ban, keeps some coronavirus restrictions

Saudi Arabia said that entry to the kingdom by sea land and air will be resumed starting Sunday after a ban that lasted two weeks amid fears of a new coronavirus variant, the state news agency reported on Sunday.

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United States posts record spike of 2.77 lakh fresh Covid-19 cases

The United States on Saturday saw its highest number yet of coronavirus cases recorded in one day, with more than 277,000 infections.

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How to register for Covid-19 vaccine in India?

As India approved the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, a massive vaccination campaign is likely to begin soon across the country.

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State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

Total number of positive cases (including deaths): 1,03,25,033 as of January 3

States/UTs death toll (details are updated as we receive information): 1,49,435

A total of 17,48,99,783 samples have been tested for Covid-19 up to January 2. Of these, 9,58,125 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

85 employees of Chennai's ITC Grand Chola Hotel have tested positive for Covid-19 from December 15, 2020, to January 1, 2021: Greater Chennai Corporation

(ANI)

India's active cases dropped to 2,47,220. The country's recovery rate stands at 96.12%.

India reported 217 deaths in 24 hours; death toll stands at 1,49,435.

With 20,923 recoveries in the last 24 hours, India's recovery tally stands at 99,27,310.

With 18,177 new Covid-19 cases, India's tally rose to 1,03,23,965.

Australia's most-populous state of New South Wales (NSW) reported eight new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, while neighbouring Victoria's tally increased by three, as new measures to combat the disease kicked in.

The NSW outbreak started around mid-December in Sydney's Northern Beaches area, where a quarter of a million people are in strict lockdown until January9. Cases associated with the cluster now total 148.

(Reuters)

Thane district's count rises by 333, death toll by 7

With the addition of 333 coronavirus positive cases, the infection tally in Thane district of Maharashtra climbed to 2,43,871, an official said on Sunday. These new cases were reported on Saturday, he said.

As seven patients succumbed to the infection during the day, the death toll went up to 5,974 in the district, where the mortality rate is 2.45 per cent, he added. So far, 2,34,005 patients have recuperated from the infection, which took the recovery rate to 95.95 per cent.

(PTI)

A continent where the dead are not counted

Christopher Johnson was known for two things. His enthusiastic dancing in the street, which made everyone laugh. And his habit of hurling insults at strangers, which constantly got him into trouble.

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Drugs Controller General of India to brief media at 11 am today on Covid-19 vaccine.

Grandparents of 6-year-old who tested positive for UK strain test Covid-19 positive

The grandparents of the six-year-old girl who was among the first to test positive for the new coronavirus strain in the city have tested positive for Covid-19.

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Tourists visit Taj Mahal, amid coronavirus pandemic, in Agra. Credit: PTI Photo

Lockdowns, curfews, alcohol bans as nations fight resurgent coronavirus

Countries across the world tightened restrictions on their populations Saturday to fight a resurgence in the coronavirus, as the European Union offered to help drug companies expand vaccine production to improve distribution "bottlenecks".

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India approves AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, country's first

India has approved the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, paving the way for one of the world's largest immunisation campaigns.

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CDSCO panel approves Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for emergency use

A regulatory expert panel on Saturday accorded its stamp of approval on the emergency use of a second Covid-19 vaccine - a home-grown one this time - in India in as many days, providing the administration with more options to vaccinate 30 crore Indians by July.

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