Coronavirus Cases India: The number of fresh infections is 4.6 per cent down since Thursday. (File)
India recorded 22,890 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total caseload to over 99.79 lakh. The number of fresh infections is 4.6 per cent down since Thursday. Up to 338 more deaths were reported in this time, taking total fatality to 1,44,789.
The total recovered cases of the country crossed 95 lakh, with over 31,087 recoveries since yesterday, the health ministry said.
Meanwhile, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary, the Union Health Ministry has said while underlining that the vaccine introduced in India will be as effective as any vaccine developed by other countries.
The ministry further stated that it was advisable to receive a complete schedule of the anti-coronavirus vaccine irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19 as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease.
It also said that protective level of antibodies generally develop two weeks after receiving the second dose.
The ministry listed a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday night and responded to questions like if taking a vaccine was mandatory, how long does it take for the antibodies to develop and if it was necessary for a COVID-19 recovered person to take the vaccine.
Here are the Highlights on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
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.
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.
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.
Coronavirus Cases: Sikkim reports 33 new COVID-19 cases, one more fatality
Thirty-three more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sikkim, taking the tally in the state to 5,439, an official said on Friday. The deaths rose to 123 after a 60-year-old woman died due to coronavirus infection, state IEC member Sonam Bhutia said, adding that she had co-morbidities.
Of the fresh cases, 21 were reported from South Sikkim and 12 from East Sikkim. The Himalayan state has 304 active cases, while 4,918 people have recovered from the disease. Ninety-four coronavirus patients have migrated to other states.
Sikkim tested 301 samples in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of such clinical examinations to 65,431, the official added.
COVID-19 Cases India: 1,134 new coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu reported 1,134 new coronavirus cases on Friday. State Health Department said that 1,170 more people have recovered from the disease taking the count of those recovered to 7,82,915.
With 12 more fatalities reported, the deaths in the state has risen to 11,954. The state has 9,781 active cases of the novel coronavirus while 8,04,650 cases of the viral infection have been recorded so far.
Mexico City suspends non-essential activities as virus cases rise
Mexico City and the neighboring State of Mexico will suspend non-essential activities from this weekend because of rising coronavirus cases, the mayor said Friday.
Only essential activities such as the sale of food, energy, transport, manufacturing and financial services will be allowed, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Odisha completes database collection for first phase of Covid-19 vaccination
The Odisha government has completed database collection for the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination in the state.
As per the state government, as many as 3.2 lakh healthcare workers including 1.4 lakh ICDS functionaries have been enrolled for vaccination. Also, 8,267 vaccinators and 29,276 centres have been identified to carry out the vaccination process in the state once a coronavirus vaccine is rolled out.
The government has also completed the assessment of cold chain points. A total of 1,222 cold chain points in the state have been identified for safe storage of the coronavirus vaccine.
Sweden's U-turn on face masks to fight virus
Sweden on Friday did a U-turn on face masks, recommending they be worn on public transport at peak times, having previously resisted their use in the fight against Covid-19 except in healthcare.
Throughout the pandemic the country has stood apart from other nations by shunning lockdowns, and being one of the few holdouts in recommending widespread mask use, even after the World Health Organization (WHO) changed their advice in June.
Announcing several new measures, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told a news conference the Public Health Agency was now "recommending face masks and that they should be used on public transport at certain times".
Jaipur: Nearly 70 volunteers given Covaxin in Phase III trials
Nearly 70 volunteers were given Covaxin, a vaccine being developed indigenously for coronavirus, in the Phase III trials, an official said on Friday. They were given the vaccine at a private hospital in Jaipur.
Covaxin is being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Two trials of the vaccine have been conducted and the results of the first phase were released a few days ago by the ICMR, said the principal investigator for the clinical trials, Dr Manish Jain.
Joe Biden, Wife Jill To Receive Covid-19 Vaccine Monday: Aide
US President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill will be vaccinated against Covid-19 on Monday in public view, his transition team said, as the Democrat seeks to build Americans' confidence in the treatment.
"On Monday, President-elect Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden will receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in Delaware, and they'll also thank health care workers at the facility," Biden spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.
"He will be doing it in public, which is important to us, as he's stated many times, to send a clear message to the public that it's safe," she added.
French President Emmanuel Macron says "doing well' after virus infection
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he was doing well after testing positive for Covid-19 but acknowledged that he had to slow down his activities due to ongoing symptoms.
"I am doing well. I have the same symptoms as yesterday: tiredness, headaches, dry cough. Like hundreds of thousands of others of you," Macron said in a video message posted on his Twitter account that he appeared to have recorded himself with a phone.
"My activity is a little slowed down due to the virus. But I am continuing to take care of the priority issues like the epidemic or, for example, Brexit," he said.
Austria To Enter Third Virus Lockdown From December 26Austria will enter its third coronavirus lockdown between December 26 and January 24, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Friday, as the country struggles with a new wave of infections.
But Kurz said those who take part in a planned series of mass tests between January 15 and 17 will be allowed more freedom, such as visiting cultural events and restaurants.
Virus-Stricken French President Admits "Slowed Down" By COVID-19French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday acknowledged he had been "slowed down" by his Covid-19 infection and ongoing symptoms but insisted he was doing well and still actively involved in "priority" government business including Brexit.
Macron is working in self-isolation from an official residence outside Paris after he tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday in a result that caused alarm across Europe.
"I am doing well. I have the same symptoms as yesterday: tiredness, headaches, dry everywhere. Like hundreds of thousands of others of you," Macron said in a video message posted on his Twitter account that he appeared to have recorded himself with a phone.
"My activity is a little slowed down due to the virus. But I am continuing to take care of the priority issues like the epidemic or, for example, Brexit," he said.
West Bengal reports 42 More COVID-19 Deaths, 2,239 New CasesThe COVID-19 death count in West Bengal rose to 9,277 on Friday as 42 more people succumbed to the disease, the health department said in a bulletin.
The state registered 2,239 new cornavirus cases, pushing the tally to 5,32,695, it said.
According to the bulletin, the total number of recoveries reached 5,04,353 as 2,729 people were cured of the disease during the day.
The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state currently stands at 94.68 per cent.
West Bengal now has 19,065 active cases, the bulletin said.
1,440 New Covid Cases Take UP's Tally To 5,72,196, Death Count At 8,154The COVID-19 death count in Uttar Pradesh rose to 8,154 on Friday with 18 more fatalities, while 1,440 new cases pushed the infection tally to 5,72,196, a health bulletin issued here said.
There are 17,955 active cases presently in the state and a total of 5,46,087 people have recovered from the infection so far, it said.
With 18 more fatalities, the death count has risen to 8,154.
With 1,075 new cases of coronavirus, Gujarat's tally rises to 2,33,263, nine fatalities take death count to 4,220, news agency PTI reported quoting Health Department
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Tamil Nadu Logs 1,134 New Coronavirus Cases, Active Cases At 9,781Tamil Nadu on Friday recorded 1,134 new cases of coronavirus and 12 related deaths, taking the overall tally to 8.04 lakh and total fatalities to 11,954.
Recoveries outnumbered new infections, with 1,710 being cured of the virus, according to a government bulletin.
With the new infections, the total number of positive cases stood at 8,04,650, while 7,82,915 people have been cured of the infection, it said.
The positivity rate in the state was below two percent.
As many as 75,347 samples were tested by RT-PCR today while over 1.33 crore specimens have been tested so far.
Covid Vaccine Delivery To Poor Countries To Start In Early 2021: WHOThe World Health Organization and partners said Friday that the Covax facility, created to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines worldwide, expected to begin delivering jabs early next year.
Announcing the agency had secured nearly two billion doses of vaccine candidates, the WHO said in a statement that this would "enable all participating economies to have access to doses in the first half of 2021, with first deliveries anticipated to begin in the first quarter of 2021."
Covid Is World War, Has Spread Like Wild Fire Due To Lack Of Implementation Of Guidelines: Supreme CourtIt is a "world war" against COVID-19 and the unprecedented pandemic has spread like a "wild fire" due to lack of implementation of guidelines and standard operating procedure (SoPs) issued by authorities to contain it, the Supreme Court said on Friday while expressing concern that the treatment for coronavirus was not affordable to the common people.
The apex court, which suggested either more and more provisions are to be made by the state governments and the local administrations or there shall be cap on the fees charged by the private hospitals, observed that states must act vigilantly and work harmoniously with the Centre as safety and health of citizens must be the first priority rather than any other considerations.
It said "strict and stern action" should be taken against those who are violating guidelines and SoPs as they cannot be permitted to play with the lives of others.
"I Didn't Feel A Thing": US Vice President Mike Pence Receives COVID-19 VaccineUS Vice President Mike Pence and his wife received the Covid-19 vaccine live on television Friday in a public display designed to boost national confidence in the drug.
"Building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning," Pence said after being injected at the White House, quipping: "I didn't feel a thing."
Covid Shot Voluntary, Says Government, Lists SOPs For VaccinationGetting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary, the Union Health Ministry has said while underlining that the vaccine introduced in India will be as effective as any vaccine developed by other countries.
The ministry further stated that it was advisable to receive a complete schedule of the anti-coronavirus vaccine irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19 as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease.
It also said that protective level of antibodies generally develop two weeks after receiving the second dose.
The ministry listed a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday night and responded to questions like if taking a vaccine was mandatory, how long does it take for the antibodies to develop and if it was necessary for a COVID-19 recovered person to take the vaccine.
Spain To Start Coronavirus Vaccinations On December 27: MinisterSpain will start immunising people against the coronavirus on December 27, a day after it receives the first doses of a vaccine, Health Minister Salvador Illa said on Friday.
The announcement comes a day after European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU would begin inoculations against Covid-19 with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine between December 27 and 29, saying it was "Europe's moment" in the battle against the virus.
The European Medicines Agency is expected to decide whether or not to approve the Pfizer vaccine on December 21 -- a week earlier than initially expected.
"This is the beginning of the end of the pandemic, not the end, so we must continue to keep our guard up," Illa told a news conference.
Six South Koreans Die Of COVID-19 Awaiting Hospital Beds: ReportSix people suffering from COVID-19 have died in South Korea this month while waiting for hospital beds and hundreds can not get admitted as surging coronavirus infections overload the health system, officials and media said on Friday.
South Korea reported 1,062 new coronavirus cases on Friday, its second-highest ever daily tally, as the government agonised over tighter restrictions and warned businesses it was unacceptable to try to dodge shut-down orders.
The daily number was above 1,000 for the third straight day for the first time, data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) showed.
The rash of new cases has shaken a country that has for months been held up as a mitigation success story. But despite its total tally rising to 47,515 infections, South Korea has only suffered about 650 deaths.
Chinese Citizen Journalist To Face Trial For Reporting On Covid In WuhanA citizen journalist detained in China after reporting from the Covid-19 ground zero of Wuhan will face trial later this month, her lawyer said Friday, as fears grow for her health.
The coronavirus first emerged in central China late last year, and Beijing has faced accusations that it covered up the initial outbreak and silenced early whistleblowers.
Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February and livestreamed her experiences on social media. She also wrote essays critical of the government's response -- including the strict lockdown of millions of people.
Zhang was detained in May and is accused of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to a court notice seen by AFP -- a charge routinely used to suppress dissidents, with a maximum prison sentence of five years.
The 37-year-old's lawyers received notice earlier this week that the hearing will take place in a Shanghai court on December 28.
Ukraine Prime Minister Says First Covid Vaccines Expected In FebruaryThe first doses of a vaccine against COVID-19 may arrive in Ukraine in February, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said on Friday, adding the government was in talks with several suppliers.
Separately, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said Ukraine wanted to resume production of its own vaccine candidate and a clinical trial was being prepared, without giving details.
"The first vaccines are expected in February and for this the government is holding talks... directly with the vaccine producers and with the governments of the countries where these vaccines will be produced or have already been contracted," Shmygal told parliament.
He also said the government hoped to receive in March the first batch of eight million doses of vaccines under the global COVAX Facility, which has been set up to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries.
Ukraine has yet to give official approval to any vaccine.
The daily coronavirus infection tally began rising in September and has been consistently high ever since, spurring the government to impose several national lockdowns to strengthen steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Coronavirus Live Updates: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Tests Positive For COVID-19
COVID-19 Latest News: Odisha Records 358 New Cases, 376 Recoveries And 4 Deaths
Vaccination For COVID-19 Will Be Voluntary: Health Ministry
Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary, the Union Health Ministry has said while underlining that the vaccine introduced in India will be as effective as any vaccine developed by other countries.
The ministry further stated that it was advisable to receive a complete schedule of the anti-coronavirus vaccine irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19 as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease.
It also said that protective level of antibodies generally develop two weeks after receiving the second dose.
Russia Testing First Samples Of Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine Produced In India: Russian Embassy
COVID-19 Latest Updates: India's Total Recovered Cases Cross 95 Lakh, Says Health Ministry
COVID-19 Live News: Telangana Reports 551 New Cases, 1 Death And 682 Recoveries
Coronavirus Latest Updates: Supreme Court Orders Fire Safety In Covid Hospitals
The Supreme Court on Friday directed all states to carry out fire safety audit of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals across country.
The top court directed atates to appoint nodal officers in each district to monitor the fire safety measures, adding that it if fire safety measures not in place action must be taken against the hospitals.
Coronavirus Latest News: 29 New COVID-19 Cases Push Arunachal Pradesh's Tally To 16,603
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 16,603 as 29 more people, including four security personnel, tested positive for the infection, PTI reported quoting health department official on Friday.
Twelve people were cured of the disease on Thursday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 16,290. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state currently stands at 98.11 per cent.
Arunachal Pradesh now has 258 active COVID-19 cases while 55 patients died due to the infection so far, the official said.
COVID-19 Live News: India's Total Cases Rise To 99,79,447 With 22,889 New Infections
Coronavirus Latest Updates: COVID-19 Virus Can Cause Blood-Brain Barrier, Says New Study
A new study by University of Washington Health Sciences strongly claims that COVID-19 virus can show cognitive effects to the patients such as brain fog and fatigue, ANI reported.
The study published in Nature Neuroscience shows that the SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, can enter the brain. Researchers, through a mouse model, found that the spike protein, often depicted as the red arms of the virus, can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice.
The spike protein often called the S1 protein, dictates where the virus can enter. Usually, the virus does the same thing as its binding protein, said lead author William A. Banks, a professor of medicine at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine and a Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Healthcare System physician and researcher.
COVID-19 Updates: Mizoram Reports 9 New Cases In The Last 24 Hours
California hits new daily record with 53,711 new COVID cases
California reported 53,711 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a record for the most populous US state.
The state also reported 293 new deaths on Wednesday, bringing its deaths to 21,481.
The California Department of Public Health said the new surge was in part due to a newly implemented auto-processing feature that put more than 15,000 cases of prior days in the latest report.
"Today''s case count includes 38,374 newly reported cases that are part of the continued statewide surge. The remaining 15,337 cases are from previous days," said the department
Northern Ireland faces six-week virus lockdown after Christmas
Northern Ireland will impose a six-week lockdown after Christmas as rising coronavirus case rates strain the British province's public health system, the devolved government announced Thursday.
The new restrictions, which begin on December 26, include an initial week of even tougher rules banning sports events and requiring retailers to close by 8:00 pm, deputy first minister Michelle O'Neill said. "The situation in terms of Covid is quite dire," O'Neill told reporters after the Northern Irish Executive met to agree the new measures.