Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi continues to post high Covid-19 numbers with 7,486 new cases, 131 deaths

India's Covid-19 caseload went past 89.4 lakh with 43,764 new cases and 545 deaths, while the number of people who have recovered from the disease surged past 83.7 lakh. More than a quarter million people have died from Covid-19 in the United States, the Johns Hopkins University tally recorded. Stay tuned on DH for more latest updates.

7,486 new positive cases 6,901 recoveries and 131 deaths reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours The total number of #COVID19 cases in Delhi stands at 5,03,084 including 42,458 active cases, 4,52,683 recoveries and 7,943 deaths

Maharashtra reports 5,011 new Covid-19 cases, 6,608 recoveries & 100 deaths today. The total number of cases in the state is 17,57,520 There are 80,221 active cases in the State and 16,30,111 patients have recovered so far. The death toll is at 46,202.

Mumbai reports 871 new Covid-19 cases, 1372 recoveries/discharges and 16 deaths today. Total cases here rise to 2,71,525, including 2,48,711 recoveries/discharges and 10,612 deaths.

People crowd along a road in a shopping areaamid the Covid-19coronaviruspandemic inMumbai. Credit: AFP File Photo

Mysteries of Covid-19 smell loss finally yield some answers

An estimated 80 per cent of people with Covid-19 have smell disturbances, and many also have dysgeusia or ageusia (a disruption or loss of taste, respectively) or changes in chemesthesis (the ability to sense chemical irritants such as hot chilies). Smell loss is so common in people with the disease that some researchers have recommended its use as a diagnostic test because it may be a more reliable marker than fever or other symptoms.

Read more

Phase 3 trial of Covaxin to begin in Haryana on November 20, Anil Vij offers to be first volunteer

Covaxin is being developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Last month, the vaccine maker had said it had successfully completed the interim analysis of Phase 1 and 2 trials and is initiating Phase 3 trials.

Read more

No lockdown plan, may impose restrictions in marketplaces to prevent Covid-19 spread: Sisodia

Lockdown was not a solution to the pandemic. It could be tackled through proper medical arrangements which the government was doing effectively, he said while interacting with reporters at the Delhi Secretariat.

Read more

Delhi govt's cap on wedding guests leaves many families worried

With hardly a week remaining for his wedding, 30-year-old Krishna Kumar and his family are now a worried lot after the Delhi government announced it would restrict the guests' list in marriage ceremonies from 200 to only 50 amid a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in the national capital.

Read more

Karnataka reports 1,791 new Covid-19 cases, 1,947 discharges and 21 deaths today Total cases in the state rise to 8,65,931, including 8,29,188 discharges and 11,578 deaths.

Gujarat reports 1,282 new cases of Covid-19 and 1,274 recoveries today. The state's Covid-19 case tally rises to 1,91,642 including 1,75,362 recoveries and 3,823 deaths till now. Total active cases are 12,457

Pfizer ends Covid-19 trial with 95% efficacy, to seek emergency-use authorization

Pfizer Inc said on Wednesday that final results from the late-stage trial of its Covid-19 vaccine show it was 95% effective, adding it had the required two-months of safety data and would apply for emergency U.S. authorization within days.

Read more

CM Kejriwal calls all-party meeting on Thursday to discuss Delhi's COVID-19 situation

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called an all-party meeting on Thursday to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, which has been seeing a spurt in the number of cases in the last couple of weeks, officials said on Wednesday.

They said leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BJP, Congress and other parties have been invited for the meeting.

"The chief minister will hold an all-party meeting to discuss the COVID-19 situation inDelhi. The meeting will be held at 11 am on Thursday," an official said.

PTI

Central govt taking concrete steps to contain spread of rising Covid-19 cases in Delhi: MHA

People shop at amarket, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, in front of the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters ofDelhi, India, November 16, 2020. CRedit: Reuters Photo

Markets in Delhi witness a surge in footfall; visuals Ghaffar Market. (ANI)

India's daily Covid-19 recoveries have outpaced the new infections for over 1.5 months now

Less than 50,000 fresh coronavirus cases have been reported for 11 straight days, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

The number of reported global daily deaths from the coronavirus stood at 10,816 on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest single-day death count as the virus's global epicenter the United States entered winter.

Puducherry reports 56 new Covid-19cases & 194 discharges. Total positive cases in the Union Territory rise to 36,465 till date, including 705 active cases, 35,152 recoveries & 608 deaths.

ICMR, Delhi govt to enhance RT-PCR testing capacity to 60,000 tests by Nov-end. Testing capacity already enhanced by 10,000 tests/day: MHA

Lt Governor Anil Baijal approves Delhi govt's proposal allowing 50 people at weddings against earlier limit of 200, says official

Senior Congress leader AK Antony tests positive for Covid-19

800 beds in train coaches to be made into isolation facility at Shakur Basti railway station: MHA

Indian Railways making available train coaches with 800 beds at Shakur Basti railway station. Doctors & para-medics from CAPFs to man these coaches as Covid-19 care cum isolation facility, following meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on November 15.

250 ICU beds to be added, 35 BIPAP beds to be created in Covid-19 hospital near Delhi airport: MHA

In a slew of measures after themeetingon Delhi’s Covid-19 situation held by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, DRDO to add 250 ICU beds and create 35 BIPAP beds in the next 3 to 4 days at its Covid-19 hospital near Delhi airport, the MHA said.

South Korea sees biggest rise in Covid-19 cases since August

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 313 new cases on Wednesday, raising the country's total to 29,311, including 496 deaths. It's the first time the country's daily caseload exceeded 300 since late August.

No lockdown for Chhath pooja but some areas might have restrictions: Jain

There'll be no lockdown but there can be local restrictions at some busy places. Maximum tests are being conducted which we'll further increase. The virus can easily spread due to large gatherings during Chhath pooja hence the restrictions, said Satyendra Jain, Delhi Health Minister

Cipla ties up with Belgium's MultiG for Covid-19 testing kits

Drug major Cipla on Wednesday said it signed a licensing agreement with a Belgium-based MultiG for the distribution of their Covid-19 rapid antibody test kit, across most emerging markets and Europe.

Read more

USFDA authorises first at-home Covid-19 self test

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday gave an emergency green light to the first rapid coronavirus test that can run from start to finish at home, paving a potential path for more widespread testing outside of health care settings.

Read more

Odisha records 868 new Covid-19 cases & 1,315 recoveries

Odisha's total number of cases rises to 3,10,920, including 3,00,474 recoveries & 8818 active cases.

Noida administration deploys Covid-19 testing team to conduct random tests of commuters at Delhi-Noida Border

For fourth consecutive day Covid-19 recoveries in Arunachal Pradesh surpass fresh cases with 56 more patients being cured of the disease.

Bengaluru's Covid-19 case fatality rate (1.1 per cent) is lowest among all major cities in country: Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar K

UN chief calls on G20 for bolder, ambitious pandemic response

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called in a letter released Tuesday for G20 leaders, whose summit will be hosted by Saudi Arabia this weekend, to be bolder and more ambitious in their pandemic response.

Read more

Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine induces quick immune response

Sinovac Biotech's experimental Covid-19 vaccine CoronaVac triggered a quick immune response but the level of antibodies produced was lower than in people who had recovered from the disease, preliminary trial results showed on Wednesday.

Read more

Fed's Powell says Covid-19 spike threatens US economy

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the nationwide surge in confirmed coronavirus could slow the economy in the months ahead by discouraging consumers from spending.

Read more

Centre to stockpile syringes for Covid-19 vaccination

The Union government has placed additional orders with suppliers of syringes, who supply to its routine immunisation programme, to handle the additional requirement for Covid vaccination.

Read more

Telangana records 948 fresh coronavirus cases as total caseload rises to 2.59 lakh while toll increases to 1,415 with 5 more fatalities.

People offer prayers at the Siddhivinayak temple a day after it was reopened for the public, in Mumbai. Credit: PTI Photo

China takes risk in rushing to use unproven Covid-19 vaccines

Ethan Zhang needed to get back to work. Work was in Ivory Coast, however, and since January the global coronavirus outbreak had stranded the 26-year-old translator in mainland China.

Read more

Covid-19: Can surgical masks be reused?

Health authorities say the most widespread anti-Covid weapon -- surgical masks -- must be thrown away after a single use, but environmental concerns are pushing some scientists to question this recommendation.

Read more

Covid-19 cases in Karnataka plateau but virus still a threat

Covid-19 cases in virus-battered Karnataka have plateaued, according to data from a research project, while a mathematical model at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) predicted areduction in cases from late March.

Read more

17 more people test positive for Covid-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, pushing the union territory's coronavirus caseload to 4,574.

Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally rises to 1,06,491 as 261 more people test positive.

44,739 recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the recovery tally to 83,35,109.

India's active coronavirus caseload stands 446,805 at with 93.42 % recovery rate.

With 474 new fatalities, India's death toll rose to 130,993

India reports 38,617 new Covid-19 cases taking the tally to 89,12,907

A total of 12,74,80,186 samples tested for Covid-19, up to November 17. Of these, 9,37,279 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

South Australia announces six-day 'circuit-breaker' lockdown

The state of South Australia on Wednesday announced a six-day "circuit-breaker" lockdown from midnight, as authorities raced to contain a sudden coronavirus cluster in the city of Adelaide.

Schools, restaurants and factories were told to close while stay-at-home orders were issued for residents across the state, after a cluster of 22 cases began in a hotel used to quarantine travellers from overseas.

"We are going hard and we are going early. Time is of the essence and we must act swiftly and decisively. We cannot wait to see how bad this becomes," state premier Steven Marshall said.

(AFP)

Uttar Pradesh govt issues advisory for the festival of Chhath Puja in the wake of Covid-19

Pfizer 'very close' to applying for US emergency approval of Covid-19 vaccine, says CEO

Pfizer is "very close" to applying for an emergency use approval for its Covid-19 vaccine after collecting safety data to submit to US regulators, the company's CEO said Tuesday, according to a report.

Read more

YouTube to add link on Covid-19 vaccines to combat misinformation

Alphabet Inc's YouTube said on Tuesday it is adding a link to provide information on the development of Covid-19 vaccines to the coronavirus panel on its site, expanding its efforts to combat misinformation related to the pandemic.

Read more

Covid-19: No fans in French sports stadiums before 2021

Fans will not be allowed to return to French sports stadiums this year, and when they do it will be with strict crowd limits depending on a venue's size, the French presidency said Tuesday.

Read more

A professor takes a class for a lone student amid low footfall due to the coronavirus pandemic, after authorities allowed re-opening of colleges after a gap of nearly eight months, in Bengaluru. Credit: PTI Photo

India seeks support from China, Russia at WTO to exempt Covid-19 drugs, vaccines from patent protection

India on Tuesday called upon China, Russia and Brazil to support the proposal it placed before the World Trade Organization (WTO) along with South Africa seeking exemption for Covid-19 drugs and vaccines from patent protections.

Read more

Immunity to the novel coronavirus may last many years, repeated vaccination will not be necessary: Study

How long might immunity to the coronavirus last? Years, maybe even decades, according to a new study — the most hopeful answer yet to a question that has shadowed plans for widespread vaccination.

Read more

Third Covid-19 peak is over but third wave is not over yet in Delhi: Satyendar Jain

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday said the third peak of Covid-19 spread has crossed but the third wave of the pandemic in the national capital is not over yet.

Read more

What is it like to take part in a Covid-19 vaccine trial?

A key facet of the global mad scramble by Pfizer, Moderna and other pharma groups to develop a viable coronavirus vaccine is the recruitment of tens of thousands of volunteers willing to participate in clinical trials.

Read more

India pins hopes on locally tested Covid-19 vaccines given Pfizer constraints

India hopes five locally tested vaccines will help it to control Covid-19, as those developed by Pfizer and Moderna may not be available to it in big quantities soon.

Read more

US CDC reports 246,232 deaths from coronavirus

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday reported 11,136,253 cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 151,855 from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 762 to 246,232.

Read more

FDA to make emergency use authorisation data public for Covid-19 vaccines

The US Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it would make public reviews of all data and information regarding the emergency use authorisation (EUA) granted to Covid-19 drugs and vaccines.

Read more

The county with no coronavirus cases (and plenty of suspicion)

Zoom in on the glowing red map of ever-escalating coronavirus cases in the continental United States and you will find one county that has been spared. Only one, from coast to coast.

Read more

Child rights experts highlight need to understand full impact of coronavirus pandemic

Ahead of the World Children's Day on November 20, child rights experts on Monday highlighted the need to understand the full impact of coronavirus pandemic and invest more time, resources and efforts to protect the children from its impact.

Read more

Mizoram reports 37 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total cases here to 3,481, including 2,972 discharges and 5 deaths. Active cases stand at 504.

During the conversation, PM Modi & US President-elect Biden exchanged views on global strategic partnership & Indo-Pacific region & discussed Covid-19. They also discussed role of healthcare & pharmaceuticals particularly vaccines: Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador of India to US

Good morning, readers. Welcome to your live coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.