India reported 23,529 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours today, an increase of 24 per cent from yesterday when the country had recorded less than 20,000 cases. 311 related deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours.
With this, the total number of coronavirus cases rose to 3,37,39,980 with the new infections, while the death count has reached 4,48,062. The active cases comprise 0.82 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020 -- the active caseload at present stands at 2,77,020.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 88 crore as a total of 59,48,118 vaccine doses were administered in a day -- the total vaccinations stand at 88,34,70,578.
Here are the Highlights on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
The West Bengal government on Thursday extended the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions till October 30 but allowed movement of people and vehicles at night during the Durga Puja festival from October 10 to 20, according to an order.
Durga Puja will be celebrated from October 10 to 15, while Lakshmi Puja will be held on October 20.
Nearly 89 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been administered in the country, the Union health ministry said on Thursday. More than 58 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Thursday till 7 pm.
Gujarat recorded 20 new coronavirus cases and no deaths in the last 24 hours, the state health department said on Thursday evening.
Maharashtra reported 3,063 new COVID-19 cases and 56 deaths today, taking the infection tally to 65,50,856 and the death count to 1,39,067, a health department official said.
Tamil Nadu added 1,612 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday, pushing the overall tally to 26,63,789; 28 more deaths took the death count to 35,578, the health department said.
Ahead of the festive season, Indian Council of Medical Research Director-General Balram Bhargava today made a fervent appeal to people to avoid non-essential travel and to observe a low-key festivity "at least this year". Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that people should celebrate festivals maintaining COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and avoid crowds.
Kerala today logged 15,914 fresh COVID-19 cases and 122 deaths, which took the caseload to 46,80,885 and the death count to 25,087, PTI reported.
Over 86.51 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far through the Centre's free of cost channel and direct state procurement category, the Union health ministry said on Thursday. More than 63.69 lakh doses (63,69,890) are in the process of being supplied to states and union territories (UTs), it said. The ministry said that 5,00,46,000 doses -- balance and unutilised -- are still available with the states and UTs.
Odisha's COVID-19 caseload on Thursday surged to 10,26,476 as 602 people, including 96 children and adolescents, tested positive for the virus while six new fatalities pushed the coronavirus death count to 8,198. The state on Wednesday, Tuesday and Monday had reported 565, 545 and 585 cases respectively.
Most side effects after a third dose of a Covid vaccine are mild or moderate, and occur at about as often as after shot two, a US study showed Tuesday in a finding that was expected but nonetheless reassuring.
Ladakh recorded seven fresh COVID-19 cases and 28 recoveries on Thursday, bringing down the count of active cases of the disease in the union territory to 73. Six cases were reported in Leh, and one from Kargil, adding that the infection tally now stands at 20,795.
Ladakh has registered 207 Covid-related deaths -- 149 in Leh and 58 in Kargil -- since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.
New Zealand's daily coronavirus cases jumped to their highest level in weeks on Wednesday, a setback to the South Pacific nation's battle to eliminate the highly infectious Delta variant from its shores.
From shoes and sweaters to car parts and coffee, Vietnam's strict and lengthy coronavirus lockdown has sparked product shortages among worldwide brands such as Nike and Gap.
The union territory of Puducherry logged 59 fresh Covid-19 cases during the last 24 hours taking the overall caseload to 1,26,367 on Thursday.
Arunachal Pradesh reported 128 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day infection in the past one month, pushing the virus tally in the northeastern state to 54,572. Lohit district reported the highest number of fresh cases at 44, followed by Tawang (35) and Lower Dibang Valley (15), the official said.
Some of India's private hospitals have cancelled orders for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine as they struggle to sell COVID-19 shots amid surging supplies of free doses of other vaccines offered by the government.
Some industry officials said low demand and the extremely cold storage temperatures required have spurred at least three big hospitals to cancel orders for Sputnik V, which is sold only on the private market in the world's biggest producer of vaccines.
World leaders thanked India for its help and support in combating the coronavirus pandemic through "early and meaningful" shipments of COVID-19 vaccine doses, as they addressed the high-level UN General Assembly session this year.
India reported 23,529 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, an increase of 24 per cent from yesterday when the country had recorded less than 20,000 cases. At least 311 deaths due to the coronavirus were also reported in the last 24 hours.
Thane has reported 315 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,59,110. Besides these new cases added on Wednesday, the virus claimed the lives of three more people, which pushed the death count in the district to 11,406.
COVID-19 cases in Australia's Victoria state surged to record levels on Thursday despite Melbourne, the state capital, being stuck in a hard lockdown for nearly two months as officials race to vaccinate the population before easing curbs. A total of 1,438 new infections were reported, the majority in Melbourne, eclipsing the previous daily high of 950 on Wednesday.
A residential school in Bengaluru has become a COVID-19 cluster after 60 of its nearly 500 students tested positive. Two were found to be symptomatic and the school has been shut till October 20.
Bengaluru (Urban) District Collector J Manjunath told news agency ANI the symptomatic students had been admitted to hospital and the rest quarantined at a proper medical facility.
The Himachal Pradesh government will provide compensation of Rs 50,000 to the family of each of those who died due to COVID-19, a state official said on Wednesday, reported PTI.
The state government notified the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of all the 12 districts as disbursement authority for the compensation, director-cum-special secretary of revenue-disaster management Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said.
Punjab on Wednesday reported one Covid-related death and 26 fresh cases, a medical bulletin said.
So far, the total number of coronavirus cases reported in the state is 6,01,600, it stated.
