Coronavirus news highlights: Delhi sees 1 lakh Covid-19 cases, 1,200 deaths since Nov 1

India's Covid-19 caseload went past 88.74 lakh with 29,163 new cases and 449 deaths, while the number of people who have recovered from the disease surged past 82.9 lakh, pushing the national recovery rate to 93.27 per cent. Experts have warned that crowding and festive activities may create an upsurge in the coronavirus cases. On the vaccine front, Drugmaker Moderna announced that its coronavirus vaccine was 94.5 per cent effective, joining Pfizer as a front-runner in the global race to contain a raging pandemic.

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Covid-19: Delhi records 6,396 fresh cases; 99 deaths take toll to 7,812 take toll to 7,812

Delhi recorded 6,396 fresh Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 4.95 lakh, while 99 more fatalities pushed the toll to 7,812, authorities said.

These fresh cases came out of the 49,031 tests conducted the previous day, while the positivity rate stood at 13.04 per cent amid the festive season and rising pollution in the city, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.

Thane sees 401 Covid-19 cases, Bhiwandi shines on Diwali Padwa

The number of Covid-19 cases in Thane district reached 2,20,180 after 401 people were detected with the infection on Tuesday, while 12 deaths took the toll to 5,538, an official said.

Powerloom town Bhiwandi, a hotspot during the initial days of the outbreak, did not witness a single case or death on Diwali Padwa, which was celebrated in the state on Monday, said its civic body spokesperson Milind Palsule.

Covid-19: 541 new cases, 1,565 recoveries in Mumbai; 14 die

Mumbai reported 541 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking its tally to 2,70,654, while more than 1,500 patients recovered from the infection, the city civic body said.

On Monday, the financial capital had reported 409 cases, the lowest daily count in the past several months.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) updated data, the death toll increased to 10,596 after 14 more patients succumbed to the infection.

Surat district reports 180 new Covid-19 cases; as many recover

Surat district in Gujarat on Tuesday reported 180 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the count of infections to 38,980, the state health department said.

Three fatalities pushed death toll to 1,041, it said.

Simultaneously, 180 patients recovered in the day.

Athwa locality added 31 new cases in the day, taking its tally to 5,537, the highest in the city.

Bihar reports 513 new Covid-19 cases, 5 fresh fatalities

Bihar's Covid-19 tally rose to 2,27,945 on Tuesday as 513 more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.

Five more patients succumbed to the infection, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 1,194, it said.

Bihar's recovery count surged to 2,21,210 as 749 more people were cured of the disease, the bulletin said.

The recovery rate among the Covid-19 patients in the state has improved to 97.04 per cent, it said.

Ahmedabad's Covid-19 count goes up by 234; four more die

With the addition of 234 new Covid-19 cases, the highest in Gujarat, the tally in Ahmedabad district reached 45,802 on Tuesday, an official from the state health department said.

At least 217 patients were discharged from various hospitals during the day, while four died of the infection, the official said.

Putin says Sputnik V vaccine could be produced in India and China

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for a joint effort by the BRICS countries on the development of the coronavirus vaccines as he suggested that Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 could be produced in China and India, which are members of the five-nation bloc.

"We believe it is important to speed up the establishment of the centre for development and research of BRICS vaccines, which we agreed to do two years ago, upon the initiative of our South African friends,"

Gujarat govt not mulling another Covid-19 lockdown: Minister

Rubbishing a false message about another lockdown, Gujarat minister Kumar Kanani on Tuesday said the state government has no such plans in wake of the recent rise in Covid-19 cases.

The minister of state for health made the statement, as a letter with his name allegedly asking chairmen and secretaries of housing societies to opt for a "voluntary lockdown", started doing rounds on social media.

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.

The five candidates include Russia's Sputnik-V whose "Phase-II going to Phase-III" trials in India will start next week in collaboration with Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Vinod Paul, the head of a committee advising the prime minister, said.

Covid-19: Delhi sees 1 lakh new cases; 1,200 deaths; 94,000 recoveries since Nov 1

Delhi recorded over one lakh new coronavirus cases and around 1,200 deaths between November 1-16 while nearly 94,000 Covid-19 patients recovered during the same period, according to official data.

The national capital has witnessed a sudden spike in coronavirus cases since October 28 when the daily rise breached the 5,000-mark for the first time and it crossed the 8,000-mark on November 11.

Andhra Pradesh reports 1,395 fresh Covid-19 cases, nine more deaths

Andhra Pradesh reported 1,395 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the total to 8,56,159 on Tuesday. In the 24 hours ending 9 am on Tuesday, as many as 2,293 patients got cured, increasing the total recoveries to 8,32,284.

Nine fresh fatalities took the overall toll to 6,890, the latest bulletin said. The active cases in the state fell further to 16,985, it said. After a total of 92.64 lakh sample tests, the infection positivity rate stood at 9.24 per cent while the recovery rate improved further to 97.21 per cent.

As cases surge, Hindu Rao hospital likely to be made Covid-19 facility again

Civic-run Hindu Rao Hospital is likely to be converted into a dedicated Covid-19 facility again, in the wake of a massive surge in coronavirus cases in the national capital in the last several days, sources said on Tuesday.

The 980-bed hospital, which is the largest municipal hospital in Delhi, was designated as a coronavirus facility on June 14, when the city was under the first wave of the spread of the infection.

Measles outbreaks likely in wake of Covid-19 pandemic, say scientists

A major measles outbreaks might occur during 2021 as an unexpected consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, say scientists in an academic article published in the Lancet journal.

According to the researchers, including Australian paediatrician Kim Mulholland, Chair of the World Health Organization's SAGE Working Group on measles and rubella vaccines, many children across the world have missed out on measles vaccination this year, making future measles outbreaks inevitable

Ladakh records 97 fresh Covid-19 cases, four more deaths

Ladakh's Covid-19 tally climbed to 7,493 on Tuesday with 97 fresh cases, while the death toll mounted to 93 as four more people succumbed to the disease, officials said.

All deaths and fresh cases were reported from Leh district, they said.

Of the total 93 deaths recorded so far in the union territory, 53 are from Leh and 40 from Kargil district, according to the officials.

WHO praises UP govt for Covid-19 management

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has praised the Uttar Pradesh government for its Covid-19 management strategy terming it as a good example for other states to follow, an official statement said here on Tuesday.

"The UP government's strategic response to Covid-19 by stepping up contact tracing efforts is exemplary and can serve as a good example for other states," Roderico Ofrin, WHO Country Representative, said in a statement issued here by the state government.

Big section of community still vulnerable to Covid-19, says Health Ministry

The Health Ministry on Tuesday reiterated that Covid-19-appropriate behaviour is necessary, including social distancing, hygiene and testing when symptoms are seen.

It said that a big part of the community is still vulnerable to the coronavirus infections and that pandemic is still not over.

Festive season's affect on Covid-19 spread is still unknown, says Health Ministry

The Health Ministry on Tuesday said that people's behaviour during Durga Puja, Diwali and even elections and its affect on the spread of the coronavirus infections is still unknown and in the coming days we will see.

Over 12.65 crore Covid-19 tests conducted so far; cumulative positivity rate has come down to 7.01%: Health Ministry.

2-month-old infant among 48 new Covid-19 patients in Mizoram

Mizoram's Covid-19 tally rose to 3,444 on Tuesday as 48 more people, including a two-month-old baby, tested positive for the infection, a health official said.

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, an Army jawan and four children, including the two-month-old infant and a one-year-old boy, are among the new patients, he said.

The infant contracted the disease from her mother, who is currently under observation at a Covid-19 care centre here, the official said.

Daily recoveries continue to exceed daily cases in India

India has seen less than 50,000 daily new cases of Covid-19 for the past ten days, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The country has so far conducted over 12.65 crore tests for detection of Covid-19 which has led to bringing down the cumulative positivity to 7.01 per cent, it highlighted.

The trend of new daily recoveries exceeding the daily new cases continues with 40,791 cases recovering in a span of 24 hours against just 29,163 newly detected cases.

The active caseload which now stands at 4,53,401 comprises just 5.11% of all cumulative cases.

Singapore reports six imported Covid-19 cases

Singapore reported six imported cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday with no locally transmitted case for the seventh consecutive day.

The new infections increased Singapore's tally of Covid-19 cases to 58,130, health officials said.

With four cases discharged from hospital and community facilities, 58,033 patients have fully recovered from the deadly infection, according to the Ministry of Health.

Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa to present 2021 budget amid strict Covid-19 protocols

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will present the 2021 budget in the Parliament on Tuesday with unprecedented Covid-19 health protocols in place, including the assembly seats being arranged outside the chamber, officials said.

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Delhi sees Covid-19 surge as India’s virus tally dips

India’s capital is in a Covid-19 crisis with a surge in new infections even as the country’s overall numbers have dipped, signalling a worrying turn in the pandemic.

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Two BJP MLAs test positive for Covid-19 in Bareilly

Chief Medical Officer of Bareilly, Dr Vineet Kumar Shukla, said, "On Monday, Bareilly MLA Arun Kumar was participating in a programme on the 'jayanti' of Chitragupt, when he started feeling ill. He was immediately shifted to a 300-bed hospital and tested positive for Covid-19. He has been admitted to a private hospital."

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Australian authorities conducted mass tests on Tuesday and about 4,000 people were confined to quarantine in the hope of stifling a new cluster of cases of the novel coronavirus after hopes it had been largely eradicated.

The state of South Australia reimposed social distancing restrictions on Monday after detecting 21 cases of the coronavirus, most of which were acquired locally.

The Good Doctor star Richard Schiff, who along with his wife Sheila Kelley was recently diagnosed with coronavirus, has been admitted to a hospital for further treatment.

Covid-19 recoveries in Arunachal Pradesh continued to surpass fresh cases with 88 more patients being cured of the disease, a health official said on Tuesday.

The state registered 56 new coronavirus cases, including nine security personnel and a healthcare worker, pushing the tally to 15,868, he said.

Moderna Covid-19 vaccine offers possible antidote to deep-freeze problem

One of the biggest challenges to delivering a promising coronavirus vaccine based on unprecedented technology to millions around the world just got easier.

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These researchers tested Covid-19 positive. But the virus wasn’t the cause.

In mid-June, Timothy Wannier tested positive for the coronavirus. Within 48 hours of receiving his jarring result, he felt almost certain there had been a mistake.

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Moderna, Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines look strong: Here’s how they stack up

The first two Covid-19 vaccines out of the gate have now delivered positive news in the quest to end the pandemic. The encouraging late-stage trial results from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. set a high bar for rivals such as AstraZeneca Plc that are expected to follow soon with their own pivotal reports.

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PM Narendra Modi to deliver an address at the 3rd Annual Bloomberg New Economy Forum today. This year, the forum will witness discussions centred on refuelling the economy and charting a course for the future, in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Delhi govt has sent proposal to LG, allowing only 50 people to attend wedding functions now against earlier limit of 200: CM Kejriwal

Since cases are rising in Delhi, we are sending a general proposal to Central Govt, that if required, Delhi Govt can implement shutting down those markets for few days, where norms are not being followed & they are becoming a local Covid-19 hotspot: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi govt, Centre and all agencies making 'double efforts' to control Covid-19 situation in Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

People shop at a market, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, in front of the Jama Masjid in the old quarters of Delhi. Credit: Reuters Photo

Supreme Court dismisses a plea seeking a direction to CBSE and the Delhi government to waive off examination fees for students of classes 10 and 12 in the current academic year in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic & consequent financial problems being faced by parents.

Puducherry records 72 fresh Covid-19 cases, pushing tally to 36,409; active case count 843.

Climate change bigger threat than Covid-19: Red Cross

The world should react with the same urgency to climate change as to the coronavirus crisis, the Red Cross said Tuesday, warning that global warming poses a greater threat than Covid-19.

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Jharkhand reports 166 new Covid-19 cases, 4 more related fatalities, bringing infection tally to 1,06,230 and death toll to 928; number of active cases stands at 2,754.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 14,419 to 815,746, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday.

The reported death toll rose by 267 to 12,814, the tally showed.

Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine: What you need to know

On Monday, Massachusetts-based company Moderna reported promising preliminary results from its coronavirus vaccine trial. Coming just a week after similar news from Pfizer and BioNTech, the announcement immediately gave the stock market a fresh jolt. It offered more hope that there’s going to be a way out of the pandemic.

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16 test positive for the coronavirus in latest EPL checks

Sixteen people tested positive for the coronavirus in the latest round of checks on players and club staff in the Premier League, England's top division said.

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India's coronavirus cases drop to lowest since mid-July

Daily coronavirus infections in India fell to their lowest since mid-July, with 29,163 new cases reported for the last 24 hours, taking the total to 88.7 lakh, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

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Airbnb reveals falling revenue, travel hit by Covid-19

Airbnb, the home rental service that disrupted the travel industry and was itself disrupted by the coronavirus, took a major step toward one of the year’s largest initial public offerings when it revealed declining revenue and growing losses in a prospectus Monday.

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Pfizer to start pilot program for Covid-19 immunisation in four US states

Pfizer Inc said on Monday it was starting a pilot program for Covid-19 immunisation in four US states to help refine the plan for the delivery and deployment of its vaccine candidate.

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In absence of coordination with Trump, there is risk of many more dying: Joe Biden

US President-elect Joe Biden has said many more Americans are at the risk of dying from coronavirus if he and incumbent President Donald Trump do not coordinate on tackling the virus outbreak.

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India's active coronavirus caseload stands at 4,53,401 with 93.27 % recovery rate.

40,791 recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the recovery tally to 82,90,370.

With 449 new fatalities India's death toll rose to 130,519.

India reports 29,163 new Covid-19 cases taking the tally to 88,74,290.

Christian devotees pray at church in Mumbai, after places of worships in Maharashtra state reopened following more than eight months of shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Credit: AFP Photo

South Korea to tighten social distancing, warns of new Covid-19 crisis

South Korea will impose stricter social distancing rules for the greater Seoul area a month after easing them, officials said on Tuesday, warning of an even bigger crisis if anti-Covid-19 efforts fail to dampen a spike in new cases.

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Samsung BioLogics says mass producing Eli Lilly's Covid-19 treatment

Samsung BioLogics Co Ltd on Tuesday said that it was mass-producing a Covid-19 antibody treatment developed by Eli Lilly and Co, as the United States began distributing the drug last week after emergency-use approval.

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Moderna Covid-19 vaccine results 'stunningly impressive,' says Fauci

The United States' top infectious disease official on Monday hailed early results from Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine as "stunningly impressive," calling the result a validation for experimental mRNA technology that some had doubted.

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Coronavirus vaccine to be free in Belgium

The Belgian government said Monday it intends to make any coronavirus vaccine available to around 70 per cent of the population, some eight million people, and free of charge.

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Mizoram reports 48 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total cases here to 3,444, including 2,915 discharges and 5 deaths. Active cases stand at 524.

Moderna, the small biotech company taking on the Covid-19 pandemic

Moderna has long been a darling of investors but it wasn't until the coronavirus pandemic came along that the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech company could prove the value of its new vaccine technology and mint some new billionaires.

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Mumbai, Delhi differ on Covid-19 testing strategy: Officials

Despite Mumbai and Delhi having almost the same positivity rate, civic officials here on Monday said the city does not require to increase its daily number of Covid-19 tests like in the national capital, which is witnessing a fresh wave of the infection.

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US CDC reports 245,470 deaths from coronavirus

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday reported 10,984,398 cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 138,025 from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 660 to 245,470.

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Breakthrough Covid-19 vaccine tech could help defeat other diseases

Breakthrough technology that transforms the body into a virus-zapping vaccine factory is poised to revolutionise the fight against Covid-19 but future pandemics and even cancer could be next, scientists say.

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Biden cites need for Trump to share virus plans

US President-elect Joe Biden says the outgoing Trump administration's failure to share specific plans on combating the coronavirus pandemic is stymying American businesses' abilities to find ways to grow and survive in challenging circumstances.

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Mexico's health ministry on Monday reported 319 more coronavirus deaths in the country, bringing the official death toll to 98,861.

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