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India surged past 1 crore coronavirus cases on Saturday, official data showed, the second highest in the world although new infection rates have fallen sharply in recent weeks.
Over 95 lakh recoveries and 145,136 deaths have been reported so far, according to the health ministry.
The country has seen "a steep rise" in recoveries - from 50,000 in May to over 95 lakh in December, the government said this morning. "Recoveries are more than 30 times the active cases (currently only 3.14% of total cases)," it said.
Meanwhile, the United States authorized Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, paving the way for six million doses of a second vaccine to soon begin shipping across the hardest-hit country in the world.
Here are the LIVE Updates on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
COVID-19: Bihar reports 712 new cases, six more deaths
Bihar's COVID-19 tally mounted to 2,46,644 as 712 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, while six fresh fatalities pushed the death count to 1,347, a health department bulletin said on Saturday.
At least 793 people were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,40,331, it said.
The recovery rate currently stands at 97.44 per cent. Bihar now has 4,966 active cases, the bulletin said.
The state has so far tested over 1.69 crore samples including 1,21,534 in the past 24 hours.
439 new Covid-19 cases in Punjab, active tally at 5,837
Four hundred and thirty-nine new cases of novel coronavirus were reported in Punjab on Saturday, taking the tally of active cases to 5,837 in the state.
According to the state government, 560 patients were discharged and the total discharged cases have gone up to 1,51,679.
As many as 1,62,705 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the state so far while 5,189 people have lost their lives due to the lethal infection.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh reported 65 new positive cases on Saturday, pushing the active tally to 494.
While 306 people have succumbed to the pathogen in the Union Territory, 18,244 persons have recovered from the deadly virus. A total of 19,044 coronavirus cases have been recorded in Chandigarh to date, according to the UT Health Department.
Four hundred and thirty-nine new cases of novel coronavirus were reported in Punjab on Saturday, taking the tally of active cases to 5,837 in the state.
According to the state government, 560 patients were discharged and the total discharged cases have gone up to 1,51,679.
As many as 1,62,705 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the state so far while 5,189 people have lost their lives due to the lethal infection.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh reported 65 new positive cases on Saturday, pushing the active tally to 494.
While 306 people have succumbed to the pathogen in the Union Territory, 18,244 persons have recovered from the deadly virus. A total of 19,044 coronavirus cases have been recorded in Chandigarh to date, according to the UT Health Department.
COVID-19: Myanmar reports 989 new cases, 26 deaths
Myanmar recorded 989 new cases of COVID-19 and 26 more deaths in the past 24 hours, according to a Health Ministry release on Saturday.
The total count of cases in the country has gone up to 115,187 and the death count stands at 2,424.
The ministry said that a total of 94,118 recovered patients have been discharged from hospitals.
Myanmar recorded 989 new cases of COVID-19 and 26 more deaths in the past 24 hours, according to a Health Ministry release on Saturday.
The total count of cases in the country has gone up to 115,187 and the death count stands at 2,424.
The ministry said that a total of 94,118 recovered patients have been discharged from hospitals.
COVID-19: Assam reports one more death, 96 fresh cases
Assam's COVID-19 death count increased to 1,012 after one more person succumbed to the disease on Saturday, while 96 new infections took the total number of positive cases to 2,15,346, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He said that 108 patients were discharged during the day, pushing the total number of recoveries to 2,10,805.
The state currently has 3,526 active cases while three patients have migrated out.
"Sad to share the demise of one #COVID patient today... Condolences & Prayers," Mr Sarma said on Twitter.
After the fresh fatality was reported from Kamrup Metropolitan district, the total number of people losing their lives due to COVID-19 in the state has gone up to 1,012.
Covid-19 479 new cases, 4 deaths in Andhra Pradesh
As many as four deaths and 479 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh in the past 24 hours, according to a media bulletin released by Andhra Covid nodal officer on Saturday.
According to the bulletin, 62,215 samples were tested here in the last 24 hours, out of which 479 tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
With this, the total number of coronavirus cases has risen to 8,78,285. Out of the total positive cases, 4,355 are active. With 497 patients being discharged, the total discharged count reached 8,66,856.
As many as four deaths and 479 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh in the past 24 hours, according to a media bulletin released by Andhra Covid nodal officer on Saturday.
According to the bulletin, 62,215 samples were tested here in the last 24 hours, out of which 479 tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
With this, the total number of coronavirus cases has risen to 8,78,285. Out of the total positive cases, 4,355 are active. With 497 patients being discharged, the total discharged count reached 8,66,856.
COVID-19: 9 more cases take Nagaland's tally to 11,841
Nagaland's COVID-19 caseload went up to 11,841 on Saturday after nine more people tested positive for the disease, a health department official said.
The state has 538 active cases while the death count remained unchanged at 73.
The number of people who recovered from the disease till now is 11,101, the official said adding that 129 patients have migrated to other states.
So far, altogether 1,18,485 samples have been tested for coronavirus in Nagaland, he said.
Meanwhile, Principal Director the health and family welfare department, Dr Vizolie Z Suokhrie, warned people thatthe state held the risk of widespread community transmission due to unlimited commercial events and parties and avoidable social gatherings.
Coronavirus news: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Gets Coronavirus Vaccine Jab
Netanyahu, 71, and Israel's health minister were injected with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine live on TV at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv.
"I asked to be vaccinated first, together with Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, to serve as personal examples and encourage you to be vaccinated," Netanyahu told the television audience.
They must each receive a booster shot in three weeks for optimal protection from the novel coronavirus.
United States Vice President Mike Pence got the jab live on television Friday, while President-elect Joe Biden is set to receive his shot on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a Covid-19 vaccine jab on Saturday, kicking off a national rollout over the coming days.
"I asked to be vaccinated first, together with Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, to serve as personal examples and encourage you to be vaccinated," Netanyahu told the television audience.
They must each receive a booster shot in three weeks for optimal protection from the novel coronavirus.
United States Vice President Mike Pence got the jab live on television Friday, while President-elect Joe Biden is set to receive his shot on Monday.
Coronavirus news: Moderna, Mckesson And US Army General Begin Rolling Out New COVID-19 Vaccine
Distribution of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine to more than 3,700 locations in the United States has begun, vastly widening the rollout started last week by Pfizer Inc, U.S Army General Gustave Perna said on Saturday.
Moderna has already moved vaccines from its manufacturing plants to warehouses operated by distributor McKesson Corp where they are being packed into containers and loaded on to trucks on Saturday, Perna said during a news conference. Trucks will set out on Sunday and shipments will start reaching healthcare providers as soon as Monday, he said.
Coronavirus news: Indonesia reports 7,751 new COVID-19 cases, 145 deaths
The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 7,751 in a day to 657,948 with the death count rising by 145 to 19,659, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.
According to the ministry, 4,265 more people were discharged from hospitals taking the total number of recovered patients to 536,260.
The virus has spread to all the country's 34 provinces, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: UK PM Johnson says plans for Christmas must change as COVID-19 cases rise
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government's plans to ease coronavirus restrictions over Christmas would have to be dropped because of a rise in cases fuelled by a new variant of COVID-19.
"Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, the potential risk it poses, it is with a very heavy heart I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned," Johnson told a news conference.
People in areas covered by a new top Tier 4 of coronavirus restrictions will no longer be able to mix with other households, and those in other areas will now only be able to meet on one day instead of five, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus news: Boris Johnson Orders New Curbs To Slow More Infectious Virus Strain
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday announced a "stay at home" order for London and southeast England to slow a new coronavirus strain that is significantly more infectious.
The new strain of the virus "does appear to be passed on significantly more easily," Johnson said at a televised briefing. He ordered new restrictions for London and south-eastern England from Sunday, saying that under the new "tier four" rules, "residents in those areas must stay at home" at least until December 30.
Coronavirus news: Thailand clamps down on virus outbreak at seafood market
Thailand's biggest seafood market and the surrounding area were locked down Saturday to contain a coronavirus outbreak, after the country's largest spike in cases since the pandemic began.
Despite being the first place to register an infection outside China, the kingdom had been mostly unscathed by the pandemic, with just over 4,000 cases and 60 deaths so far, AFP reported.
Coronavirus news: Thailand reports biggest coronavirus surge, over 500 cases
Thailand reported over 500 cases of coronavirus from the centre of its seafood industry where there are many migrant workers on Saturday, in by far the biggest one-day rise in a country that had previously brought the epidemic largely under control.
The outbreak appeared in Samut Sakhon province, southwest of Bangkok, where four infections were reported at a shrimp market on Friday - the first a 67-year-old woman, Reuters reported.
Coronavirus news: Bangladesh COVID-19 cases near 500,000
Bangladesh reported 1,267 new COVID-19 cases and 25 new deaths on Saturday, making the tally at 499,560 and death count at 7,242, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.
The official data showed that 12,300 samples were tested in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: Gujarat medical interns withdraw protest, get allowance
The Gujarat government on Saturday decided to pay incentive allowance of Rs 5,000 per month with effect from April this year to intern doctors working in hospitals attached to government medical colleges in view of the COVID-19 duty performed by them, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said.
Coronavirus news: Belarus reports 1,931 new COVID-19 cases
Belarus reported 1,931 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking its total to 171,579, the country's health ministry reported.
There have been 2,037 new recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 149,353, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: French President Emmanuel Macron "stable" after virus infection
French President Emmanuel Macron, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, is in stable condition, and examinations had given reassuring results, a statement from his office said Saturday.
Macron, who is working in self-isolation from an official residence outside Paris, "is still presenting the same symptoms of the Covid-19 illness (fatigue, coughing, stiffness)", said the brief statement, signed by his doctor.
But they were not preventing him from carrying out his duties, AFP reported.
Coronavirus news: Around 30,000 infected, Rlys lost 700 frontline workers to COVID-19 in last 9 months
The Railways has lost around 700 frontline workers, among the 30,000 infected with COVID-19 in the last nine months, according to sources who said that most of those who lost their lives were working amid the general public to facilitate the running of trains during the pandemic.
Railway Board Chairman, in a press briefing on Friday, had said that around 30,000 railway employees have been infected with coronavirus so far and hailed their sacrifice for the public during the pandemic, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: UK ministers discuss COVID-19 concern amid rise in cases
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was holding a conference call with his senior ministers on Saturday to discuss concern over a new strain of the COVID-19 virus which is rising across parts of Britain, his spokesman said.
The government on Monday said a rise in infections might be partly linked to a new more transmissible variant of the virus when it moved London and other swathes of the country into the highest tier of restrictions to curb the spread of COVID.
Coronavirus news: Italy under new restrictions over Christmas, New Year
Italy, one of the countries worst hit by the novel coronavirus, will be placed under new restrictions over the Christmas and New Year periods, according to a government decree published on Saturday.
Under the new measures, already announced by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte late Friday and coming into effect from Monday until January 6, the whole of country will be classified as "red" -- the highest level of restrictions.
This means people will be allowed to leave their homes only once per day to visit friends or relatives and travel between regions will be banned.
And starting from December 24, bars and restaurants will also be closed, AFP reported.
Coronavirus news: 35,000 centres will be set up to store coronavirus vaccines, says UP government
The Uttar Pradesh government said on Saturday 35,000 centres will be set up across the state to store coronavirus vaccines when they are available, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Tripura logs 26 more COVID cases; tally rises to 33,145
Twenty-six more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Saturday taking the tally to 33,145, a health department official said.
The death count due to the disease remained unchanged at 375 as no fatalities were reported during the last 24 hours.
Tripura currently has 269 active cases, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Need for expeditious COVID-19 vaccination drive to cover targeted population, says Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday stressed the need for an expeditious COVID-19 vaccination drive to cover the entire target population estimated to be around 30 crore.
Mr Vardhan was speaking while chairing the 22nd meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 through video-conferencing on Saturday, PTI reported.
Coronavirus news: Russia registers 28,209 new positive tests for COVID-19 over past day
Russia has confirmed 28,209 new positive tests for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, a slight decrease from the 28,552 new cases registered one day ago, the federal response center said on Saturday, adding that the country's case total has topped 2.8 million.
Coronavirus news: Georgia reports 2,904 new COVID-19 cases
Georgia reported 2,904 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing its total to 206,907, according to the country's National Center for Disease Control and Public Health.
Among the new cases, 1,252 were confirmed in the capital city of Tbilisi, the center said.
Covid vaccine: Government will inoculate 30 cr people in 6-7 months, says Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that country's scientists and health experts have worked on the development of an indigenous vaccine and in the upcoming six to seven months India will have the capacity to inoculate about 30 crore people, ANI reported.
Addressing the 22nd Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting on COVID-19, Health Minister said, "Our scientists and health experts have worked on the development of a vaccine by genome sequencing and isolation of the coronavirus and developed an indigenous vaccine. In 6-7 months, we will have the capacity to inoculate about 30 crore people."
Coronavirus news: Swiss authorise Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been authorised for use in Switzerland following a two-month rolling review, the Swissmedic regulatory authority said Saturday.
"After a meticulous review of the available information, Swissmedic concluded that the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech is safe and that its benefit outweighs the risks," the body said in a statement.
It is the first vaccine against the new coronavirus that has been authorised for use in the wealthy Alpine nation, AFP reported.
Rahul Gandhi Slams "Unplanned Lockdown" As Covid Cases Cross 1 Crore
Taking a dig at the prime minister's remarks in March that the Mahabharata war was won in 18 days and the war against coronavirus will take 21 days, Mr Gandhi tweeted, "1 crore Covid infections with almost 1.5 lakh deaths! The unplanned lockdown did not manage to 'win the battle in 21 days'' as the PM claimed, but it surely destroyed millions of lives in the country."
As India's COVID-19 caseload surpassed the one crore-mark, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the unplanned lockdown did not manage to "win the battle in 21 days as the PM claimed", but it "destroyed" millions of lives in the country.
Taking a dig at the prime minister's remarks in March that the Mahabharata war was won in 18 days and the war against coronavirus will take 21 days, Mr Gandhi tweeted, "1 crore Covid infections with almost 1.5 lakh deaths! The unplanned lockdown did not manage to 'win the battle in 21 days'' as the PM claimed, but it surely destroyed millions of lives in the country."
India Has One Of The Highest Recovery Rates In The World At 95.46%: Health Ministry
There have been a little over one crore cases of #COVID19 in India. Of that, 95 lakh 50 thousand cases have recovered successfully. India has one of the highest recovery rates in the world at 95.46%: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan pic.twitter.com/vtTarV1Vhl
- ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Coronavirus Latest News: Odisha Records 356 New Cases, 363 Recoveries And 3 Deaths
Odisha recorded 356 new #COVID19 cases, 363 recoveries and 3 deaths on December 18, as per State Health Department
- ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Total cases: 3,25,861
Total recoveries: 3,20,947
Active cases: 3,029
Death toll: 1,832
Third Wave Of COVID-19 In Delhi Is Ending: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
It appears that the third wave of COVID19 in Delhi is now ending. Around 90,000 daily tests are being conducted in Delhi today. This is the highest number of daily tests in the country: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/SeaDhZYQYb
- ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
COVID-19 Live News: 627 New Cases, 4 Deaths In Telangana
The case fatality rate in the state was 0.53 per cent, while it was 1.5 per cent at the national level.
The recovery rate in Telangana was 96.99 per cent, while it was 95.5 per cent in the country.
Telangana registered 627 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to over 2.80 lakh while four related fatalities pushed the number of deaths to 1,510.
The case fatality rate in the state was 0.53 per cent, while it was 1.5 per cent at the national level.
The recovery rate in Telangana was 96.99 per cent, while it was 95.5 per cent in the country.
Coronavirus Live Updates: Jharkhand Reports 274 New COVID-19 Cases, One More Death
The death count increased to 1,008 as one more person died due to the infection in the last 24 hours, he said.
Jharkhand now has 1,707 active coronavirus cases,cwhile 1,09,891 people have been cured of the disease so far, the official said.
Jharkhand's COVID-19 tally rose to 1,12,606 as 274 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said on Saturday.
The death count increased to 1,008 as one more person died due to the infection in the last 24 hours, he said.
Jharkhand now has 1,707 active coronavirus cases,cwhile 1,09,891 people have been cured of the disease so far, the official said.
COVID-19 Latest News: India's Case Tally Crosses The 1-Crore Mark With 25,153 New Infections
India's #COVID19 case tally crosses the 1-crore mark with 25,153 new infections; death toll at 1,45,136
- ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Total numbers of recovered and active cases are 95,50,712 and 3,08,751 respectively pic.twitter.com/GSpwrMpiz2
Coronavirus News: Brazil's Covid-19 deaths reach 1,85,000
Brazil's Covid-19 deaths rose to 185,650 on Friday after 823 more patients died from the disease in the previous 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said.
In the same period, tests detected 52,544 cases of infection, raising the total caseload to 7,162,978 since the start of the outbreak in Brazil on February 26.
The federal government published a resolution in the Government Gazette announcing that, as of December 30, both Brazilians and foreigners arriving at airports must be able to present negative results of a COVID-19 test. Land and coastal borders will remain closed.
Coronavirus Latest Updates: US Clears Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine For Emergency Use
The United States on Friday authorized Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, paving the way for six million doses of a second vaccine to soon begin shipping across the hardest-hit country in the world.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Stephen Hahn said: "With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of Covid-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic."
The US is the first nation to authorize the two-dose regimen from Moderna, now the second vaccine to be deployed in a Western country after the first, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
International Team Probing COVID-19 Origin Will Go To Wuhan: WHO Italy under new restrictions over Christmas, New Year
Italy, one of the countries worst hit by Covid-19, will be placed under new restrictions over the Christmas and New Year periods, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced late Friday.
Under the new measures, shops, bars and restaurants will be closed and travel between regions will be banned, and in theory only one daily outside trip per household will be permitted.
Religious celebrations will be allowed until 10:00 pm.
The prime minister conceded that the authorities had neither the means nor the will to monitor compliance with containment measures, but he asked Italians to respect a new limit of people hosting two adult guests at home.
