Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi reports 3,797 new Covid-19 cases 3,560 recoveries

India's Covid-19 caseload crossed 88.72 lakh, while the number of people who have recovered from the disease rose to 82.49 lakh. Over 1.3 lakh people have died from the disease so far in India, and over 13 lakh people have died worldwide. Experts have warned that crowding and festive activities may create an upsurge in coronavirus cases.

Thank you for tuning in to DH's live updates of the coronavirus outbreak. For more latest updates, click here.

India in dialogue with Moderna, other biotech firms over progress in Covid vaccine development: Sources

India is in dialogue with the US-basedbiotech giant Modernaover the progress in the clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine candidate, which the firm said hasshown 94.5 percent efficacy, official sources said on Monday.

Read more

Will get Covid-19 under control by listening to experts: Kamala Harris

US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Monday said the Biden administration will get Covid-19 under control by listening to the experts, implementing nationwide testing and tracing, and ensuring vaccines are safe and free for all.

Read more

Delhi reports 3,797 new Covid-19 cases 3,560 recoveries -ANI

3,797 new positive cases 3,560 recoveries and 99 deaths reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. The total number of Covid-19 cases in Delhi stands at 4,89,202 including 40,128 active cases, 4,41,361 recoveries and 7,713 deaths.

Congress MP alleges overcharging by Air India on Vande Bharat flights

A Congress MP from Punjab on Monday alleged malpractice and overcharging by Air India on flights under the Vande Bharat Mission, and demanded action against those involved in it.

Read more

Centre forms 10 teams for inspecting private hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in Delhi

The Centre has constituted 10 multi-disciplinary teams for visiting private hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in the national capital to check compliance with various directions issued by it and the Delhi government to contain the spread of the virus.

Read more

Pfizer's early results bode well for a Covid-19 vaccine approval this year

Developing a new vaccine ordinarily takes years. But Pfizer’s candidate began clinical testing only months after scientists published the genome sequence for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

Read more

Scientists sound warning about UK PM Boris Johnson's Covid-19 mass-testing "moonshot"

A group of scientists said on Monday that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "Operation Moonshot" plan for mass coronavirus testing, intended to allow large parts of the economy to reopen, was likely to be ineffective and expensive.

Read more

65 WHO staff have coronavirus, one cluster

The World Health Organization has recorded 65 cases of the coronavirus among staff based at its headquarters, including at least one cluster of infections, an internal email obtained by The Associated Press shows, despite the agency's public assertions that there has been no transmission at the Geneva site.

Read more

Over 1K new containment zones created in Delhi in last 15 days as Covid-19 cases rise

With the national capital witnessing a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases, there has been a significant rise in the number of containment zones as authorities have created over 1,000 new such zones in the last 15 days, according to Delhi government data.

There were 3,359 Covid-19 containment zones in the city on November 1, but the number rose to 4,430 on November 15, with the maximum being 740 in southwest Delhi, and the lowest being 142 in northeast Delhi.

Gujarat adds 926 fresh Covid-19 cases; 1,040 recover

Gujarat on Monday reported 926 new coronavirus cases, taking the total count of infections to 1,89,236, the state health department said.

With five more persons succumbing to the viral infection, including three deaths in Ahmedabad and one each in Rajkot and Surat, the cumulative toll mounted to 3,808, it said.

Haryana reports 2153 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total tally in the state to 2,02,027. A total of 1,80,647 discharged so far after recovering from the infection, death toll 2038. Active cases stands at 19,342 -ANI

Multi-disciplinary teams are constituted to visit all Private hospitals in Delhi to check status of compliance of various directions issued by Union Health Ministry for testing & treating Covid patients & of Govt of Delhi to contain the spread of Covid-19: Ministry of Home Affairs. -ANI

EPFO provides pensioners multiple options to submit digital life certificates amid Covid-19 pandemic

Retirement fund body EPFO has provided multiple options for submission of Digital Life Certificate (DLC) by over 67 lakh pensioners, enabling them to continue drawing their social security benefits, the labour ministry said.

Read more

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri confident of air travel reaching pre-Covid-19 levels by year-end or early 2021

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday expressed confidence that air travel would reach pre- levels by the end of the year or early next year.

Read more

3,012 new Covid-19 cases, 53 deaths and 4,376 discharged cases reported in West Bengal -ANI

3,012 new Covid-19 cases, 53 deaths and 4,376 discharged cases reported in West Bengal today, as per the State Health Department.

Total cases: 4,34,563

Active cases: 27,897

Death toll: 7,714

Total discharges: 3,98,952

After gap of nearly eight months, colleges and universities reopen in Punjab

Colleges and universities in Punjab reopened on Monday after being shut for nearly eight months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said.

Read more

Karnataka reports 1,157 new Covid-19 cases, 2,188 discharges and 12 deaths today. Total cases in the state rise to 8,62,804, including 8,25,141 discharges and 11,541 deaths. Active cases stand at 26,103 -ANI

Mumbai reports 409 new Covid-19 cases, 529 discharges and 12 deaths today. Total cases here rise to 2,70,113, including 2,45,774 discharges and 10,582 deaths. Active cases stand at 9,807 - ANI

New vaccine breakthrough lifts global hope against Covid-19 pandemic

Global hopes of overcoming the coronavirus pandemic were boosted Monday after a second vaccine was found to be nearly 95 per cent effective, bringing much-needed optimism to a world facing surging infections and a raft of new restrictions.

Read more

Zoom dysmorphia: Record increase in plastic surgeries during work from home

As meetings and various other interactions moved to video during Covid-19, a new trend of a record number of plastic surgeries in the US has emerged.

This new phenomenon is dubbed as 'Zoom Dysmorphia', a disorder involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance.

Read more

Congress MP Manish Tewari tests positive for Covid-19

Congress MP and former Union minister Manish Tewari on Monday said he has tested positive for Covid-19.

Read more

Chandigarh Administration has decided to re-open Rock Garden, State Museum, Tagore Theatre, and other places of touristic importance, subject to strict observance of Covid protocol -ANI

Rajasthan reports 2,169 new Covid-19 cases, 12 deaths and 1,810 recoveries/discharges today. Total cases in the state rise to 2,27,986 including 2,078 deaths and 2,07,224 recoveries/discharges. Active cases stand at 18,684 - ANI

Tamil Nadu reports 1,725 new Covid-19 cases, 2,384 discharges, and 17 deaths today. Total positive cases in the state rise to 7,59,916 including 7,32,656 discharges and 11,495 deaths. Active cases stand at 15,765 - ANI

Bhai Dooj: Coronavirus curbs keep sisters away from brothers lodged in Uttar Pradesh jails

Women were disappointed on Bhai Dooj as they were not allowed to meet their brothers lodged in the UP’s Jalaun jail where 62 inmates have contracted coronavirus in recent days.

Read more

Maharashtra reports 2,535 new Covid-19 cases, 3,001 recoveries & 60 deaths

Maharashtra reports 2,535 new Covid-19 cases, 3,001 recoveries & 60 deaths today. There are 84,386 active cases in the state and 16,18,380 patients have recovered so far. The death toll is at 46,034. - ANI

Russia focuses on freeze-dried vaccine doses as transport fix

Russia expects to produce primarily freeze-dried Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine doses by the spring, a top official said, eliminating the need for transport at ultra-low temperatures as part of an ambitious plan to inoculate its population.

Read more

Kerala reports 2,710 new cases, 6,567 recoveries, and 19 deaths today. Active number of cases now at 70,925: CM Pinarayi Vijayan - ANI

390 new Covid-19 cases reported in Jammu and Kashmir

390 new Covid-19 cases reported in Jammu and Kashmir today; 150 from Jammu division and 240 from the Kashmir division. Total number of cases now at 1,03,009 including 5,588 active cases, 95,824 recoveries, and 1,597 deaths: Govt of Jammu and Kashmir. - ANI

Vaccine will not be enough to stop Covid-19: WHO chief

"A vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them," director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "A vaccine on its own will not end the pandemic."

Read more

Odisha Government prohibits the celebration of Chhat Puja including mass bathing at river banks and ghats in view of Covid-19 situation -ANI

Moderna says its vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing Covid-19

Moderna Inc said on Monday its experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing Covid-19 based on interim data from a late-stage clinical trial, becoming the second UScompany in a week to report results that far exceed expectations.

Read more

IOC's Thomas Bach 'very confident' Tokyo Olympics will have fans

Olympic chief Thomas Bach said Monday he is "very, very confident" that spectators will be able to attend next year's Tokyo Olympics, as he kicked off a Japan trip to boost momentum for the pandemic-postponed Games.

Read more

Andhra Pradesh reports 753 new Covid-19 cases

Andhra Pradesh reports 753 new Covid-19 cases taking the total positive cases in the state to 8,54,764. There are 17,892 active cases and 8,29,991 recovered cases in the state; the death toll is at 6,881 as per the State Health Department. - ANI

Women struggle to access abortion as Covid-19 adds to hurdles in Europe

Helplines across Europe have reported higher demand for their services as the coronavirus pandemic adds to the hurdles many women face to access abortion.

Read more

Stimulus 3.0 supportive for growth but fiscal impact unclear

India's third tranche of stimulus measures should support economic rebound over the coming quarters but the actual fiscal impact is difficult to ascertain, Fitch Solutions said on Monday.

Read more

Haryana Governor tests positive for Covid-19, admitted to hospital

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and was admitted to a private hospital in Mohali in Punjab.

The 81-year-old Governor is currently admitted in the ICU, hospital sources told PTI.

Arthritis drug may improve Covid-19 survival among elderly patients, says study

A drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis may reduce the risk of dying for elderly patients with Covid-19, and provide a new weapon in the arsenal against the novel coronavirus, according to a study.

Read more

CAPFs will play major role in Covid-19 vaccination drive: ITBP DG

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will play a major role in the Covid-19 vaccination programme of the country, even as their various healthcare facilities continue to treat people infected with the virus, ITBP Director General S S Deswal said.

Read more

Delhi's third Covid-19 wave has peaked, says Health Minister Satyendar Jain

The latest surge of coronavirus infections in the Indian capital, which has swamped its intensive care wards and killed hundreds of people, has passed its peak, the city's top health official said on Monday, dismissing fears of another lockdown.

Read more

Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' enters phase-3 trials

Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, being developed by Bharat Biotech is now undergoing phase-3 trials, Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech said on Monday.

Read more

Covid-19 easier to spread indoors than outdoors; winter perfect set-up for contagion: Dr Vivek Murthy

It is easier for coronavirus to spread indoors than outdoors as people stay inside their homes during winter which is a perfect set-up for the contagion, according to Dr Vivek Murthy, the top Indian-American advisor to President-elect Joe Biden on Covid-19.

Read more

India's daily Covid-19 recoveries more than daily fresh infections for 44 days in a row

India's trend of registering daily Covid-19 recoveries outpacing the daily infections continued for the 44th day as43,851 patients recuperated in a span of 24 hours as against30,548 newly detected cases, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

Read more

Angela Merkel eyes schools, contacts in tougher coronavirus curbs push

Chancellor Angela Merkel will on Monday push for tougher curbs including masks in all schools, smaller class sizes and drastic limits on contacts to bring down coronavirus infections in Germany.

Read more

I welcome decisions taken at the recent Home Ministry meeting. Doubling of tests & increasing number of beds will help. It was also decided to provide respiratory equipment for Covid patients & have dedicated municipal hospitals for Covid-19: Adesh Gupta, BJP Delhi President. - ANI

Media doing exceptional work in spreading awareness against Covid-19: PM Narendra Modi

The media has been doing exceptional service by spreading awareness against Covid-19 and has acted as a valuable stakeholder in helping the government in its initiatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the occasion of National Press Day on Monday.

Read more

Starting Thursday, New Zealanders will be legally required to wear masks on public transport in Auckland and on planes nationwide.

Britain expects to start rolling out the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine just before Christmas if it is declared safe and effective, health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday.

Mumbai's iconic Siddhivinayak Temple reopens on November 16

Mumbai's iconic Siddhivinayak Temple reopened for devotees to offer prayers on November 16 after several months of closure due to the lockdown imposed in a bid to control the Covid-19 pandemic.

Overall infection Karnataka tally reaches 8,61,647, death toll rises to 1,529.

Karnataka reports 1,565 new Covid-19 cases, 21 deaths and 2,363 recoveries. There are 27,146 active cases of the disease in the state at present.

West Bengal reports 51 more Covid-19 fatalities, 3,053 new cases and 4,480 recoveries.

Covid-19 death toll rises to 7,661, infection tally reaches 4,31,551. The state now has 29,314 active cases of the disease.

Bihar reports 247 new Covid-19cases, five fatalities and 614 recoveries. Infection tally rises to 2,26,915, death toll reaches 1,184. The state now has 5,867 active cases of the disease.

British PM Boris Johnson self-isolates after contact tests positive for Covid-19

"He will carry on working from Downing Street, including on leading the Government's response to the coronavirus pandemic," the Downing Street spokesman said.

Johnson was hospitalised with coronavirus in April.

Jharkhand prohibits congregation, religious ceremonies for Chhath puja

Jharkhand government issues notification prohibiting congregation and religious ceremony on banks of rivers, ponds and other public water bodies on Chhath puja in view of Covid-19 pandemic.

The third wave of Covid-19 has passed its peak in Delhi: Delhi Health Minister

There will be no reimposition of lockdown in Delhi. I don’t think it will be an effective step now, wearing of masks by everyone will be more beneficial, says Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain

The total 1,30,070 deaths reported so far in the country include 45,974 from Maharashtra, followed by 11,529 from Karnataka, 11,478 from Tamil Nadu, 7,661 from West Bengal, 7,614 from Delhi, 7,372 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,868 from Andhra Pradesh, 4,458 from Punjab and 3,803 from Gujarat.

Johnson & Johnson launched a new large-scale late-stage trial on Monday to test a two-dose regimen of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine and evaluate potential incremental benefits for the duration of protection with a second dose.

Nine more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, pushing the union territory's coronavirus caseload to 4,536, a health department official said on Monday. Of the nine new cases, five were detected during contact tracing, while four have travel history, the official said.

Fifteen more people recovered from the disease taking the total number of Covid-19 recoveries in the union territory of 4,330. The archipelago now has 145 active Covid-19 cases, while 61 people have died of the infection so far, he said.

A fresh coronavirus outbreak in Adelaide on Monday forced Australian players, including captain Tim Paine, into self-isolation but the country's cricket board asserted that the first Test against India here from December 17 will go ahead as scheduled.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 10,824 to 801,327, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday.

The reported death toll rose by 62 to 12,547, the tally showed.

Covid-19: Places of worship reopen in Maharashtra; devotees visit temples

Places of religious worship in Maharashtra, which were shut since the imposition of Covid-19 lockdown in March, reopened on Monday with devotees visiting some of the prominent temples and shrines in the state.

Read more

Venezuela to buy 10 million doses of Russian Covid-19 vaccine

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Sunday that his government has agreed to buy 10 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19.

Read more

A man in personal protective equipment (PPE) sanitizes a temple before they reopen for the public amid the spread of the coronavirus in Mumbai. Credit; Reuters Photo

Covid-19 cases drop further in Karnataka, down 72% in Bengaluru Rural

The state’s Covid-19 numbers have continued to slip for the last 14 days in a row. Bengaluru’s tally of 840 fresh cases on Sunday suggests that the city’s Covid curve is seeing a dip towards the pre-surge era of July, when only triple-digit new numbers were being reported daily.

Covid-19: Centre to provide more ICU beds to Delhi, double testing, deploy paramilitary doctors

Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in the national capital in the recent weeks, the Centre on Sunday decided to add more Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, double the RT-PCR tests, deploy doctors and healthcare professionals from paramilitary forces and set up a dedicated team to study the bed availability in private hospitals.

Read more

With 11 million cases in the US, the coronavirus has got personal for most people

Just a few weeks ago, Kem Kemp, a high school teacher in Houston, knew no one personally who had tested positive for the coronavirus. Then her roommate came down with a deep cough and was diagnosed with Covid-19. Her brother, a dentist in Amarillo, Texas, also tested positive. A neighbour fell sick with the virus. Two faculty members at the private school where she teaches were required to quarantine. And in the past few days, so were two of the students she advises.

Read more

Separate dining and puja halls to be constructed at Kukke Subrahmanya

A separate dining hall and puja hall will be constructed for performing various sevas by the devotees, at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple. Officials have been directed to prepare an action plan for the same, said Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V.

Read more

North Korea tightens anti-coronavirus measures amid pandemic

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered a tightening of state emergency anti-coronavirus systems in the face of the worldwide pandemic, as he presided over a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers Party, state news agency KCNA said on Monday.

Read more

43,851 recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the recovery tally to 82,49,579.

With 435 fatalities in the last 24 hours, India's deaths toll crossed 1.3 lakh.

In a record low single-day spike -- lowest since July 15 -- India sees 30,548 cases, taking the tally to 88,45,127.

South Korea mulls stricter distancing as Covid-19 takes 'a very dangerous turn'

South Korea reported more than 200 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day on Monday, as the government mulls tightening social distancing to curb persistent outbreaks from offices, medical facilities and small gatherings.

Read more

A total of 12,56,98,525 samples tested for Covid-19 up to 15th November, of these 8,61,706 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Telangana reported 502 new Covid-19 cases, 1,539 recoveries & 3 deaths yesterday.

Total number of cases now at 2,57,876 including 2,42,084 recoveries, 14,385 active cases & 1,407 deaths: State Health Department

South Korea's daily coronavirus tally has stayed above 200 for a third consecutive day, as authorities consider raising the country's social distancing rules.

The 223 additional cases recorded Monday by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency took the country's total to 28,769 with 494 deaths.

Chhath puja in water bodies including public ponds, lakes, rivers, dams, reservoirs shall not be permitted in view of Covid-19 pandemic: Jharkhand Government

Doctors are calling it quits under stress of the pandemic

Two years ago, Dr. Kelly McGregory opened her own pediatric practice just outside Minneapolis, where she could spend as much time as she wanted with patients and parents could get all of their questions answered.

Read more

Biden advisers urge immediate Covid-19 action as US infections close in on 11 million

US President-elect Joe Biden's top advisers called for urgent action to address the nation's "deeply alarming" Covid-19 epidemic on Sunday, a day when total US infections are likely to cross the 11 million mark just eight days after hitting 10 million.

Read more

Temples reopen in Maharashtra

US surpasses 11 million Covid-19 infections

US officials have reported more than 11 million cases of coronavirus as of Sunday, as the country’s outbreaks speed to agonizing new levels of hospitalizations. The tally passed 10 million just a week ago, and more than 1 in 400 Americans have tested positive since.

Read more

British PM Boris Johnson self-isolating after contact tested Covid-positive

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is self-isolating after someone he was in contact with tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, a spokesman said Sunday.

Covid-19 cases drop further in Karnataka, 72% down in Bengaluru Rural

The state’s Covid-19 numbers have continued to slip down for the last 14 days in a row. Bengaluru’s tally of 840 fresh cases on Sunday suggests that the city’s Covid curve is dipping down further towards the pre-surge era of July, when only triple-digit new numbers were being reported.

Read more

WHO registers global one-day record in new Covid-19 cases

The World Health Organization's coronavirus dashboard on Sunday showed a record daily number of new Covid-19 cases over the weekend.

Read more

US doctors are calling it quits under stress of the pandemic

Two years ago, Dr. Kelly McGregory opened her own pediatric practice just outside Minneapolis, where she could spend as much time as she wanted with patients and parents could get all of their questions answered.

Read more