India added 36,401 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours. The country's overall case load now stands at 3.22 crore, while total fatalities are at 4.32 lakhs, according to the health ministry.
The active cases have fallen to 3,64,129 - the lowest in 149 days - and are 1.13 per cent of total cases. 39,157 people were discharged after treatment in the past 24 hours, taking cumulative recoveries to around 3.15 crore. The recovery rate is 97.52 per cent - the highest since March last year.
Covid-19 vaccination efficacy is decreasing over time, US authorities warned Wednesday as they authorized booster shots for all Americans from September 20 starting eight months after an individual has been fully vaccinated.
"The available data make very clear that protection against (coronavirus) infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease," the nation's top health officials said in a statement.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus Cases:
Assam's Covid tally rose to 5,82,750 on Thursday as 713 more people tested positive for the infection, while 10 related fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death count to 5,538, a health bulletin said, reported news agency PTI.
Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which Guwahati falls, recorded the highest number of new cases at 136, followed by Golaghat at 52, Lakhimpur at 48, and Barpeta at 41.
Dibrugarh, Kamrup Metropolitan, and Jorhat reported two fresh fatalities each, while one death each was registered in Chirang, Golaghat, Sonitpur, and Kamrup Rural.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday warned that coronavirus is still hanging over people's heads like a sword of Damocles and the threat is far from over.
Delhi records 25 fresh cases of coronavirus in 24 hours with two related deaths, authorities said, reported news agency PTI. The national capital's positivity rate has dipped to 0.04%, they said.
Thailand is studying the possibility of injecting coronavirus vaccines under the skin to try to stretch its limited supply, a health official said on Thursday, as the country races to inoculate the public faster amid a worsening epidemic.
With the addition of 83 cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the tally of infections in Goa rose to 1,72,846 today, an official from the state health department said, reported news agency PTI.
As many as 59 patients were discharged from hospitals, while two died of the infection during the day, taking the count of recoveries to 1,68,764 and death count to 3,180, the official said.
Over 87,000 people across the country have been reported Covid positive after the second dose of vaccination, while 46 per cent of those cases are from Kerala, top Health Ministry sources have told NDTV.
Several states are building facilities with more paediatric beds, plus oxygen, due to concern that children returning to school without being vaccinated will be among the most vulnerable during a third wave of coronavirus infections.
Over 87,000 people across the country have been reported Covid positive after the second dose of vaccination, while 46 per cent of those cases are from Kerala, top Health Ministry sources have told NDTV.
The effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 declines faster than that of the AstraZeneca jab, according to a new study published on Thursday.
New Zealand reported a breakthrough Thursday in tracing the source of a Covid-19 outbreak that plunged the nation into lockdown, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying it should help "stamp out" the virus.
Just seven districts, including Pune, account for bulk of the COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, while half a dozen other districts have less than ten active cases currently.
Australia has suffered its worst day since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with total daily cases surpassing the previous record posted more than a year ago as a delta variant outbreak spreads as far as New Zealand.
Vaccination and curbs are not going to stop breakthrough cases as no vaccine is 100% effective, but almost all of them, when fully vaccinated, provide very high levels of protection from severe illness and death.
Covid-19 vaccination efficacy is decreasing over time, US authorities warned Wednesday as they authorized booster shots for all Americans from September 20 starting eight months after an individual has been fully vaccinated.
The number of samples tested for COVID-19 in the country has crossed the 50 crore-mark and in this month, the average daily testing has been over 17 lakh, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Thursday.
The last 10 crore tests were done in only 55 days, the ICMR said in a statement.
"On July 21, 2021, India had tested 45 crore COVID-19 samples, which reached the 50-crore mark on August 18, 2021," the ICMR said.
According to its website, 50,03,00,840 samples have been tested up to August 18.
Australian authorities began doling out emergency COVID-19 vaccine supplies on Thursday in the Sydney suburbs worst hit by an outbreak of the fast-moving Delta strain, as the country reported its biggest one-day rise in COVID-19 infections, Reuters reported.
New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the ramp-up in inoculations in Australia's biggest city was providing some hope as the city battles its worst outbreak since the coronavirus pandemic began.