India's total tally of COVID-19 cases surged to 3,04,11,634 with 48,786 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries have crossed 2.94 crores, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death count increased to 3,99,459 with 1,005 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Meanwhile, Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadila said on Thursday it has applied to the country's drug regulator for emergency use approval of its COVID-19 vaccine and that it plans to manufacture up to 120 million doses of the shot annually.
Coronavirus cases in India dropped from a devastating peak in April and May, however, experts have warned of a third wave and reiterated that widespread vaccination remains one of the best defences against the pandemic.
Here are the Highlights on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned its citizens from traveling to several countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
This comes after the UAE last month extended the travel ban on passengers from 14 countries until July 21 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first case of the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 has been found in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, officials said on Thursday.
A 19-year-old woman from Gopalpur in Palampur sub-division of Kangra had tested positive for COVID-19 on May 25. Her sample has come back positive for the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19, they said.
However, the officials said, her sample that was sent for genome sequencing was collected on May 26, when the state was under a lockdown.
Malaysia reported another 6,988 new COVID-19 infections taking the national total to 758,967, the Health Ministry said Thursday.
Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that five of the new cases are imported and 6,983 are local transmissions.
Though Gerry Casida is on the priority list for a free Covid-19 vaccine in the Philippines because of his asthma, he's isn't planning to get the shot any time soon.
The Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday said that there is not much data available on the Delta plus variant to suggest that it is more infective or has a higher rate of mortality.
Russia on Thursday reported 672 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, according to a government tally, setting a pandemic high of fatalities for the third day in a row.
A survey done by the All India Institute of Medical Science in Patna has found abnormal rise in blood sugar level in people who were infected with coronavirus during the second wave of the pandemic this year.
Recognising the crucial role played by the ground level health workers during COVID pandemic, the Jharkhand government is imparting special training to a band of 90 women as part of preparation against the anticipated third wave. During the training, information related to anatomy, infection control, epidemiology, vaccination, oxygen administration, injection, disinfection, nursing laboratory technology, first aid, physiotherapy will be given.
Himachal Pradesh reported its first case of Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Maharashtra reported 9,195 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday which took its infection tally to 60,70,599, the health department said.
Mumbai logged 661 new coronavirus infections and 21 fresh fatalities on Thursday, while 489 patients recovered from the infection. With the addition of the new infections, the tally of COVID-19 cases jumped to 7,22,879, while the death count increased to 15,472 after 21 more patients succumbed to the infection.
After much delay, a private hospital in Delhi on Thursday started the administration of the Sputnik V Covid vaccine for the general public in a staged manner.
A government expert panel has said that Sputnik Light can submit Phase 3 trial data for the single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India, its India-partner Dr Reddy's said on Thursday, hours after reports said they had been denied approval.
A 47-year-old-man died of Mucormycosis or Black Fungus in Dibrugarh becoming the second fatality due to the infection in Assam. The patient died at the Assam Medical College Hospital on Wednesday, doctors said.
The decision on emergency approval for Covaxin -- the indigenous vaccine being manufactured by Bharat Biotech -- will be made next month, World Health Organisation's Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan told NDTV.
Karnataka reported 3,203 new cases of COVID-19 and 94 deaths, pushing the infection count to 28,47,013 and death count to 35,134 on Thursday. The day also saw 14,302 discharges,taking the total number of recoveries to 27,46,544.
At least 127 inmates of an orphanage-cum-rehabilitation centre in the Mizoram state capital were among the 417 people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the north-eastern state in the last 24 hours.
Delta+ not presently a "Variant of Concern" for WHO, numbers still low: Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan to NDTV
Two doses of Covid vaccine appear to provide protection against the rapidly spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus, the European Medicines Agency said on Thursday.
An EU-wide Covid certificate for easier travel came into force on Thursday, just in time for Europe's busy summer vacation period -- but the highly infectious Delta variant is already threatening to curtail its use.
The UK is preparing to offer millions of vulnerable Britons, who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, a booster jab from September to ensure that the protection is maintained against new variants of the coronavirus before winter comes.
Germany's CureVac announced Wednesday that final trial results showed its coronavirus vaccine had an efficacy rate of just 48 percent, far lower than those developed by mRNA rivals BioNTech and Moderna.
Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadila said on Thursday it has applied for emergency use approval of its three-dose COVID-19 vaccine that showed efficacy of 66.6% in an interim study and could become the second home-grown shot if regulators consent.
The World Health Organization on Thursday said over two months of declining Covid cases in Europe had come to an end, warning a new wave would come "unless we remain disciplined.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the medical fraternity on the occasion of National Doctors' Day.
Seven European Union countries - Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Spain - and Switzerland have cleared the Serum Institute of India's Covishield amid travel pass row, sources have said.
Indonesia will impose "emergency" coronavirus restrictions this week to battle an alarming surge in infections, President Joko Widodo said Thursday, as the country scrambles to avoid a collapse of its overwhelmed healthcare system.
Widodo said the new restrictions, starting Friday, would last more than two weeks in the capital Jakarta and across hard-hit Java, as well as on the holiday island Bali, after infections surged to record levels, AFP reported.
The government has said the South Asian nation of 168 million people is seeing an "alarming and dangerous" rise in cases, blamed largely on the highly infectious Delta variant, AFP reported.
Russia on Thursday reported 672 coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, according to a government tally, setting a pandemic high of fatalities for the third day in a row, AFP reported.
The country is battling a surging outbreak driven by the highly infectious Delta variant and worsened by a lagging jab drive, with President Vladimir Putin urging Russians to get vaccinated on national television Wednesday.
Japan's capital and three neighbouring prefectures are among areas under a 'quasi' state of emergency set to run through July 11, but a recent uptick in infections has officials leaning towards keeping restrictions in place - a move that could affect the number of spectators allowed into Olympic venues, Reuters reported.
During a broadcast interview, the head of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said he's "quite concerned" about the Delta variant in the US, ANI reported.
Mumbaikars expressed unhappiness over the suspension of the COVID-19 vaccination drive at civic and government-run centres on Thursday due to shortage of vaccines doses, and raised questions over the management of the inoculation programme.
Tourism makes up almost a fifth of the Thai economy, and the Covid-19 pandemic has led to its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, AFP reported.