Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra reports 4,268 new cases; tally now 1,872,440

Coronavirus live updates: At 1,872,440, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 897,801, Andhra Pradesh 873,995, Tamil Nadu 795,240, and Kerala 654,041

11:40 PM

Assam reports 127 new Covid-19 cases, one more death

Assam's COVID-19 death toll rose to 1,000 with one more person succumbing to the disease, while 127 new infections pushed the coronavirus caseload to 2,14,432 Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.

The new death case was reported from Kamrup Metropolitan district, he said.

"Sad to share the demise of one #COVID patient today... Condolences and Prayers," Sarma tweeted.

The overall positivity rate stood at 3.84 per cent against total testing of 55,83,981 samples so far.

"127 cases detected out of 21,002 tests conducted with positivity rate of 0.60%," the minister tweeted.

With new cases, Assam reported a total of 2,14,432 COVID-19 cases, of which 53,137 have been reported from the state capital alone.

For four consecutive days, the state reported more recoveries at 149 discharges than the number of new infections.

The state currently has a total of 3,493 active COVID-19 cases and they are being treated at different hospitals and Covid Care Centres (CCCs) across the state along with some being at home isolation.

In Assam, 2,09,936 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered from the disease and were discharged from different hospitals and CCCs and three have migrated to other states.

8:59 PM

Haryana recorded 1,065 new Covid-19 cases, 23 deaths in the last 24 hours

8:41 PM

1,222 new Covid-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh, recoveries grow by 1,347

Madhya Pradesh on Friday reported 1,222 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the infection count to 2,21,115. With the death of nine patients across the state due to the virus, the fatality count rose to 3,382. A total of 1,347 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the state's recovery figure to 2,04,641. Four persons died in Indore and one each in Bhopal, Sagar, Khandwa, Chhatarpur and Guna, the official said.

 

Of the 1,222 new cases, Indore accounted for 412 and Bhopal 258.

 

The number of cases in Indore rose to 47,839, including 803 deaths, while Bhopal's caseload stood at 35,395 with 538 fatalities. Indore now has 5,000 active cases, while this figure for Bhopal is 3,167. With 29,352 samples getting tested in the state in the last 24 hours, the number of tests rose to 40.82 lakh. The coronavirus figures of MP are as follows: Total cases 2,21,115, new cases 1,222, death toll 3,382, recovered 2,04,641, active cases 13,092, number of people tested so far 40,82,106.

8:17 PM

500 teams to be deployed to administer Covid-19 vaccine in Mumbai

At least 500 teams of five trained personnel each will be deployed for administering the COVID-19 vaccine in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday. The first to get inoculated will be health workers followed by frontline workers, people above the age of 50 and those suffering from co-morbidities, it said in a release.

 

The announcement was made by additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani in the first meeting of the city task force for vaccine distribution at the BMC headquarters on Friday, the release said. The Maharashtra government last month formed a task force to manage the distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine in the state. A task force was also set up at the city level.

 

The selected beneficiaries of the vaccine will receive a message on their registered mobile numbers, Kakani, who heads the task force, said. The process of setting up committees at the regional level to oversee vaccination will also be completed soon, he said. As of Thursday, the COVID-19 caseload in Mumbai stood at 2,88,689, which includes 10,948 deaths.

8:02 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Maharashtra reports 4,268 new cases; tally now 1,872,440

The coronavirus tally in Maharashtra on Friday increased to 18,72,440 as 4,268 people tested positive for the infection. The fatality count due to the virus mounted to 48,059 as 87 patients died. A total of 2,774 patients were discharged, taking the recovery count to 17,49,973. The number of active patients in the state is 73,315.

 

Mumbai city recorded 654 positive cases on Friday, which pushed its overall case count to 2,89,350, while its death toll rose to 10,955, of which 13 were reported during the day.

 

The state has so far conducted 1,15,70,137 tests. Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally is as follows: Positive cases: 18,72,440, new cases: 4,268, death toll: 48,059, discharged: 17,49,973, active cases: 73,315, people tested so far: 1,15,70,137.

7:53 PM

Maharashtra reports 4,268 new Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 1,872,440

7:00 PM

Kerala's Covid-19 active cases below 60,000 mark

Kerala's active COVID- 19 cases fell to 59,380 on Friday with 4,748 recoveries and 4,642 new infections. In the last 24 hours, 53,508 samples were tested and the test positivity rate was 8.68 per cent, Health minister K K Shailaja said. So far, 68,61,907 samples have been sent for testing. Kozhikode accounted for the highest number of cases on Friday-626, followed by Malappuram 619, Kollam 482 and Ernakulam 409, waynad reported 87 and Kasaragod 71 cases, the minister said in a press release here.

 

The toll climbed to 2,562 with 29 recent deaths being confirmed due to coronavirus. Of the positive cases, 44 were health workers,73 came from outside the state and 4,028 were infected through contact. While the total caseload has mounted to 6,58,683, as many as 5,96,593 people have recuperated so far from the disease, the minister said. At least 3,15,644 people are under observation in various districts, including 13,542 in various hospitals.

6:21 PM

Delhi reports 2,385 new Covid-19 cases, 60 deaths in the last 24 hours

6:07 PM

Punjab has 729 cold chain points for Covid-19 vaccine storage

As the state gears up for the mega exercise with a total of 729 cold chain points, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday directed the Health Department to incorporate the results of the second sero survey in the strategy for Covid-19 vaccine roll-out so that the high-risk population is covered first.

 

At a high-level virtual meeting to review the coronavirus situation, the Chief Minister noted the state's readiness for the vaccine rollout in terms of database of priority lists; infrastructure for cold chain management; identification and training of vaccinators, etc. Apart from vaccine safety and vaccination site safety, correct and timely information communication was critical to the successful rollout of the vaccination, which is expected to be available soon in India, Amarinder Singh said.

 

Besides one state-level vaccine store, 22 district vaccine stores and 127 block level vaccine stories are being prepared for the roll-out of the vaccine in Punjab, which will also have 570 cold chain points.

5:22 PM

ADB launches $9-billion Covid-19 vaccine initiative for APAC members

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday said it has launched a USD 9-billion initiative that will offer support to its developing member economies to procure and deliver COVID-19 vaccines. ADB has launched a USD 9-billion vaccine initiative, the Asia-Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX), offering support to its developing members as they procure and deliver vaccines for COVID-19, it said in a release.

 

ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said, "As ADB's developing members prepare to vaccinate their people as soon as possible, they need financing to procure vaccines as well as appropriate plans and knowledge to be able to...manage the vaccination process."

 

He further noted that APVAX will play a critical role to help its developing members meet challenges to overcome the pandemic and focus on economic recovery. ADB said that over 14.3 million COVID-19 positive cases have been identified in the Asia-Pacific region, causing more than 2 lakh deaths.

5:17 PM

Coronavirus test mandatory for tourists visiting Nainital, Mussoorie, says Uttarakhand HC

The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered mandatory COVID-19 test of tourists visiting Nainital and Mussoorie.

 

In an order dated December 9, ActingChief Justice Ravi Kumar Malimath and Justice Ravindra Maithani of the high court saidtourists visiting the two popular tourist towns be tested for coronavirus at the time of entry.

 

The order to resume testing of tourists comes ahead of Christmas and New Year holidays when large inflow of tourists is expected in Nainital and Mussoorie. COVID-19 cases have risen in Uttarakhand after the compulsory requirement for tourists to produce a negative RT-PCR report while entering the state was removed in September to boost tourism.

4:45 PM

Coronavirus latest update: Punjab orders extension of night curfew till January 1

4:30 PM

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma tests positive for Covid-19

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday has tested positive for COVID-19, health official said. The chief minister also took to Twitter to make the announcement.

 

"I have tested positive for #Covid_19. I am under home isolation and experiencing mild symptoms. I request all those who came in contact with me in the past 5 days to kindly keep a watch on their health and if necessary get tested. Stay safe," he tweeted.

 

Earlier, his cabinet colleagues -- Health Minister AL Hek and Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar -- had also tested positive for the viral infection.

4:10 PM

LIVE: A mobile van set up for Covid-19 testing at Delhi-Haryana border

4:05 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: Odisha reports 387 new Covid-19 cases, four fresh fatalities

Odisha's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 3,23,029 on Friday as 387 more people tested positive for the infection, while four fresh fatalities pushed the death toll in the coastal state to 1,798. Of the 387 new cases, 220 were reported from different quarantine centres and the rest detected during contact tracing. Sundargarh recorded the maximum number of new cases at 58, followed by Khurda at 51 and Angul at 27.

 

Taking to Twitter, the Health and Family Welfare Department said, "Regret to inform the demise of four COVID positive patients while undergoing treatment in hospitals."

 

The fresh fatalities were reported from Bargarh, Khurda, Malkangiri and Mayurbhanj. Fifty-three COVID-19 patients have so far died due to comorbidities, the official said. Khurda district, of which Bhubaneswar is a part, has accounted for 308 fatalities, followed by Ganjam (245), Sundargarh (152), Cuttack (137) and Puri (110).

3:36 PM

US medical experts recommend emergency authorisation of Pfizer Covid vaccine

A special US government advisory panel has recommended emergency use authorisation for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, in a major step towards its widespread use in the country, worst-hit by the pandemic.

 

After an eight-hour public hearing on Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted 17 to 4 with 1 abstention to recommend the vaccine developed by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech to combat the disease that has killed over 292,000 people in the US.

 

An emergency use authorisation (EUA) is short of a full approval. Pfizer would have to file a separate application for full FDA approval for its vaccine. Thursday's vote does not mean the vaccine will be authorised immediately, US media reported.

 

There is a clear benefit, and all we have on the other side is theoretical risks, said committee member Paul Offit, a vaccine expert with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The vaccine's potential benefits outweigh its risks.

3:18 PM

Covid-19 cases in CAPFs cross 50,000-mark, 185 deaths

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) COVID-19 cases have crossed the 50,000-mark, leaving behind states like Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry etc. The total number of CAPF COVID-19 cases till 10th December is 50,010. So far 185 CAPFs' jawans have died due to COVID-19 in India including two deaths reported in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the first week of December.

 

The government of India has also decided to give vaccines to troops of CAPFs which are close to 10 lakh across the country. A meeting was also chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla with heads of CAPFs along with their representatives recently. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked CAPFs to prepare data of frontline workers so that vaccines can be given to them.

 

According to the official data accessed by ANI, So far, in CRPF, which also has the highest number of troops, a total of 14,461 cases of COVID-19 have been reported till 10th December and 75 jawans have died due to the infection. Similarly, the Border Security Force (BSF) which is the second-largest Para-military force has reported 14,101 cases and 44 deaths.

 

2:48 PM

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma tests positive for Covid-19

2:46 PM

India's total Covid-19 active caseload drops to 3.63 lakh, lowest in 146 days

India's total COVID-19 active caseload has dropped to 3.63 lakh (3,63,749), the lowest in 146 days, and comprises just 3.71 per cent of the total coronavirus infections, the Union health ministry said on Friday. The total active cases were 3,58,692 on July 18.

 

"The country has reported a trend of sustained decrease in the number of active cases. India's present active caseload consists of just 3.71 per cent of India's total cases," the ministry said. It said that 37,528 people recovered from COVID-19in a span of 24 hours and this led to a net decline of 8,544 cases from the total active caseload.

 

"India's total active caseload has significantly dropped to 3.63 lakh (3,63,749) today. This is the lowest after 146 days. The total active cases were 3,58,692 on 18th July, 2020," it said. The country has registered 29,398 new cases in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said and added that total recoveries are nearing 93 lakh (92,90,834).

 

"The gap between recoveries and active cases, that is steadily increasing, has crossed 89 lakh today and presently, stands at 89,27,085," the ministry highlighted.

2:04 PM

Kerala reported highest daily new Covid-19 cases at 4,470: Health Ministry

12:52 PM

Odisha recorded 387 new Covid-19 cases; total cases at 323,029

Odisha recorded 387 new Covid-19 cases, 458 recoveries and 4 deaths yesterday, as per State Health Department 

 

Total cases: 323,029

 

Total recoveries: 3,17,870

 

Active cases: 3,308

 

Death toll: 1,798

12:49 PM

Asia's unequal recovery sounds warning bells for global economic rebound

Asia’s head start in the economic recovery from Covid-19 is sending a warning to the rest of the world: inequalities exacerbated by the virus are unlikely to be reversed any time soon.

 

Even as the region’s rebound gathers pace, many workers who lost their jobs early in the crisis find themselves stuck in new positions with less pay. Economists caution that while a lasting shift toward the digital economy will create opportunities, it risks stoking divisions unless governments pour more investment into the workforce. The Asian Development Bank and International Labour Organization say as many as 15 million jobs for teenagers and young adults in the region could be lost this year. Read on...

11:57 AM

Airlines gear up to transport vaccines that might revive travel industry

Months before anyone knew which of the coronavirus vaccine candidates would pull ahead or when they’d be available, airlines were trying to figure out how to transport doses around the world.

 

Over the summer, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines spoke with government officials, pharmaceutical companies and experts to understand where vaccines might be produced, how they would be shipped and how best to position people and planes to get them moving. More recently, they have flown batches of vaccines for use in trials and research or to prepare for wider distribution. Read on...

11:22 AM

Ellen DeGeneres tests positive for coronavirus

US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has tested positive for Covid-19, she said Thursday, joining the list of well-known names to have contracted the virus as it has spread around the world.
 

"I want to let you all know that I tested positive for Covid-19. Fortunately, I'm feeling fine right now," DeGeneres said on Instagram. "Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified."

9:45 AM

France reports 13,750 new coronavirus cases, tally stands at 2.3 million

France reported on Thursday 13,750 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its tally to 2,337,966, according to the country's health authorities.

 

The health ministry confirmed 292 new fatalities from the virus over the past day, taking the national toll to 56,940.

 

French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday that the government will lift the ban on people's movement on Dec. 15 and replace it with a night curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as the infection rates were not slowing down as fast as the government had expected.

9:43 AM

US weekly jobless claims surge to a three-month high amid Covid pandemic

The number of initial jobless claims in the US increased to reach 853,000 last week, the highest since mid-September, the Labour Department reported.

 

The latest data published by the Department on Thursday indicated that the ongoing continued Covid-19 resurgence across the country have been disrupting the labour market and weighing on economic recovery, reports Xinhua news agency.

 

In the week ending December 5, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits increased by 137,000 from the previous week's upwardly revised level of 716,000, according to a report released on Thursday by the Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Read on...

9:34 AM

Coronavirus in India: Latest update by MoHFW

Active cases: 363,749 (Net reduction: 8,544)

Deaths: 142,186 (Net increase: 414)

Cured: 9,290,834 (Net increase: 37,528)

Total cases: 9,796,769 (Net increase: 29,398)

9:31 AM

US medical experts recommend authorisation of Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine

A US government advisory panel has recommended emergency approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, underlining that the shot's potential benefits outweigh its risks.

 

After an eight-hour public hearing on Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted 17 to 4 with 1 abstention to recommend the vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.

 

There is a clear benefit, and all we have on the other side is theoretical risks, said committee member Paul Offit, a vaccine expert with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

9:30 AM

Assam registers 146 new Covid-19 cases, taking state's tally to 214,165

Assam reported 146 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, taking the tally to 2,14,165, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

 

A 60-year-old man from Dibrugarh who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 died, following which the toll rose to 998, he said.

 

There are 3,516 active cases in the state at present.

8:55 AM

Oil price rally builds steam as coronavirus vaccine rollouts begin

Oil rose around 1% on Friday, extending a sharp rally overnight that saw Brent rise above $50 for the first time since March, as coronavirus vaccination rollouts kept hopes alive that demand for crude would build up next year.

 

Brent was up 45 cents or 0.9% at $50.70 a barrel by 0121 GMT, after gaining nearly 3% on Thursday. U.S. oil was up 50 cents, or 1%, at $47.28 a barrel, having also risen almost 3% in the previous session.

 

That leaves prices set for a sixth consecutive week of gains as promising vaccine trials helped quell gloom over record increases in the number of new infections and deaths around the world in the coronavirus pandemic.