Coronavirus LIVE: India cases top 1.5 million; Maharashtra sees a dip

Coronavirus latest news: Total number of coronavirus cases in India has reached 1,516,738. The US now has 4,433,941 cases and Brazil 2,443,480. Stay tuned for coronavirus LIVE updates

2:41 AM

Pfizer and BioNTech start late-stage study of lead Covid-19 shot

Pfizer and BioNTech SE said they’ve begun a later-stage trial for their top coronavirus vaccine candidate and set a goal of submitting it for regulatory review as soon as October — one of the most ambitious timelines to date.

 

The move pushes the New York-based pharmaceutical giant and its German partner closer to bringing a vaccine to market, and places them alongside frontrunners like Moderna Inc, which anno­unced earlier Monday that it had started its own large, final-stage trial of a shot based on similar technology.

2:40 AM

Mumbai sees lowest single-day spike in new cases

Only 700 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Mumbai today that too with the highest single-day testing till date, said Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday.

 

He said a total of 8,776 tests were conducted on Tuesday, out of which only 700 tests were found positive in the financial capital, news agency ANI reported.

2:40 AM

Lockdown in containment zones extended in West Bengal till August 31

The West Bengal Government on Tuesday announced the state-wide complete lockdown till August 31.

 

The complete lockdown will be observed in the state on August 5, 8, 16, 17, 23, 24 and 31.

 

However, the lockdown will not be observed this weekend on account of Mulsim festival Eid al-Adha, and on August 15, the day when the country celebrates Independence Day.

2:39 AM

GOP rolls out $1-trillion relief plan amid coronavirus pandemic

Senate Republicans presented their $1 trillion plan to bolster the pandemic-ravaged US economy in a series of bills that would trim extra unemployment benefits, send $1,200 payments to most Americans and shield businesses, schools and other organizations from lawsuits stemming from coronavirus infections.

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The package was pulled together after days of negotiations between Senate Republicans and President Donald Trump’s emissaries that didn’t completely settle differences within the GOP over the size and scope of additional federal spending in response to the pandemic.

2:38 AM

McDonald's revenue falls 30% as Covid-19 lockdown limits operations

McDonald’s on Tuesday reported a bigger-than-expected drop in global same-store sales as restaurants across the world were shut because of the pandemic, limiting operati­ons to only drive-thru and delivery. Global same-store sales fell 23.9 per cent for the second quarter ended June 30, dragged down by big internati­onal markets including the UK, France and Latin America. Revenue fell 30.5 per cent to $3.76 billi­on, but beat the estimate of $3.68 billion.

1:18 AM

India coronavirus cases and deaths update

India coronavirus cases crossed 1.5 million mark. Total count stands at 1,532,125. As many as 34,224 have died from the virus so far, according to data compiled by Worldometer

12:37 AM

West Bengal reports 2,134 new Covid-19 cases, 38 more deaths

The death toll due to Covid-19 in West Bengal rose to 1,449 on Tuesday as 38 more people succumbed to the disease, as per a state Health Department bulletin.

 

A total of 2,134 fresh cases pushed the state's tally to 62,964, it said.

 

There are 19,493 active Covid-19 cases in the state, while 2,105 patients recovered in the last 24 hours.

 

Since Monday, 17,021 samples have been tested in the state for Covid-19, the bulletin said.

12:29 AM

Covid-19 cases in Telangana cross 57,000

The number of Covid-19 cases in Telangana crossed 57,000 on Tuesday as 1,610 new cases were reported while nine more deaths pushed the toll to 480.
 

Acting on the direction of the High Court, the Health Department released media bulletin in a new format, providing more details, including bed occupancy in government and private hospitals and containment zones.
 

The authorities had changed the format two days ago but the High Court on Monday expressed its dissatisfaction and observed that they were not implementing its orders.

12:28 AM

Relatives will be allowed to see bodies of suspected Covid patients: Bengal CM

12:28 AM

Assam reports 1,371 new Covid-19 cases

Assam recorded 1,371 more Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total to 34,947 as two more people succumbed to the disease in the state, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
 

The state now has 8,238 active case of the infection, he tweeted.
 

"Alert ~ 1371 new Covid cases detected in Assam out of 22876 tests done in last 24 hrs. Positivity rate continues to be low at 5.9 per cent," Sarma said in a tweet.
 

Out of the new cases, the highest number of 295 was reported in Kamrup Metropolitan district, which primarily comprises the Guwahati city, followed by 221 in Kamrup district, he said.