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India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 78.14 lakh with 53,370 fresh cases in a day, while 70,16,046 people have so far recuperated pushing the national recovery rate to 89.78 per cent on Saturday, the Union health ministry said.
The total number of coronavirus cases mounted to 78,14,682 and the deaths to 1,17,956, with the novel coronavirus virus claiming 650 lives in a span of 24 hours in the country, the ministry data updated at 8 am on Saturday showed.
The COVID-19 case fatality rate has further declined to 1.51 per cent.
There are 6,80,680 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 8.71 per cent of the total caseload, the ministry data said.
According to ICMR, a cumulative total of 10,13,82,564 samples have been tested up to October 23, with 12,69,479 samples tested on Friday.
Drugmakers AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson both said on Friday that they are set to resume their paused COVID-19 vaccine trials in the United States -- providing a glimmer of hope as the number of cases skyrocket across the country.
COVID-19 has now killed more than 223,000 Americans, and the health crisis is a top issue in the presidential election pitting incumbent Donald Trump against Joe Biden.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases:
Dusshera: Ravan Effigy Makers Unhappy With Drop In Sale Amid COVID-19
Due to adverse economic conditions and restrictions amid COVID, the artist involved in making Ravan effigies in Chhattisgarh witnessed a drop in demand for effigies for the Dusshera festival.
Artisan said they did not get as many orders as they used to receive last year. This year, they have mostly prepared 10 feet tall effigies to sell to the customers.
Speaking to ANI, an artisan said, "All the boys in this area used to gather at one place and made effigies but this year due to COVID-19 nobody came forward to help us. The business has also affected as there is a very low demand for the effigies this year."
"By selling 20-feet effigy, we used to earn around Rs 10,000. This year we have made 10-feet effigies and buyers are not willing to pay more than Rs 4,000 for a piece," he added.
The 10th day of Sharad Navratri is celebrated as Dussehra or Vijay Dashami. It is celebrated with great joy and fervour across India by burning the effigies of Ravan in open fields to symbolise the victory of ''good'' over ''evil''.
This year the festival spirit has been dampened by the COVID-19 which have spread all over the world.
UK records over 23,000 new coronavirus cases, total count at 8,54,010
Another 23,012 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 8,54,010, according to official figures released Saturday.
The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 174 to 44,745, the data showed.
According to the British Office for National Statistics (ONS), the highest COVID-19 infection rates continue to be seen in the North West, Yorkshire and The Humber and the North East while the biggest increase was detected in older teenagers and young adults.
Official figures on Friday showed that Britain's coronavirus reproduction number, also known as the R number, has fallen slightly, but the virus is still spreading fast in the country.
Moscow's COVID-19 deaths up by 68 to 6,380
Another 68 coronavirus patients have died in Moscow in the past 24 hours, bringing the relevant toll to 6,380, the Russian capital's COVID-19 response center said on Saturday.
"Sixty-eight patients, who were diagnosed with pneumonia and tested positive for the coronavirus infection, have died in Moscow," the center said.
A day earlier, the city reported 63 fatalities.
Delhi: Potters in Hauz Rani say their business is suffering due to the COVID19 pandemic.
- ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2020
Babita, a potter says,"Customers aren't willing to buy at the prices we want to sell. Procurement of raw materials has also become expensive. Our business is severely impacted." (24.10.2020) pic.twitter.com/D4KxJn3jKw
485 Fresh COVID-19 Cases Take Punjab's Tally To 1,30,640; Death Count 4,107
Punjab on Saturday reported 12 more COVID-19 linked fatalities, taking the death count to 4,107, while 485 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 1,30,640, a medical bulletin issued here said.
Of the new fatalities, five were reported from Amritsar, two each from Mohali and Patiala and one each from Bathinda, Pathankot and Tarn Taran, the bulletin said.
Of the fresh cases, 90 were Hoshiarpur, 77 from Ludhiana and 51 from Mohali.
There are 4,277 active COVID-19 cases in the state currently, according to the bulletin.
A total of 521 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from infection, taking the total recoveries to 1,22,256.
Twenty-one critical patients are on ventilator support while 116 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said.
A total of 24,57,574 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, it said.
Tamil Nadu Offices To Revert To 5-Day Week From January 1
All government offices in Tamil Nadu would revert to a five-day work week with effect from January 1, 2021, the state government said on Saturday.
A government order dated May 15, 2020, had ordered all its offices to function with 50 per cent strength for six days a week in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
Subsequently, they were allowed to function with full strength from September 1.
"The present six-day work week including Saturday be modified and reverted to five-day work week with 100 per cent strength... with effect from January 1, 2021," Chief Secretary K Shanmugam said in an order.
Mumbai: #DurgaPuja celebrations, by Bengal Club at Shivaji Park being observed with #COVID19 precautions. Darshan being live-streamed & prasad being sent by courier. A member says, "We have four priests who are coming regularly. Committee members are coming as per their slot." pic.twitter.com/xSQHG9zRoo
- ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2020
US health body reports 223,393 deaths from coronavirus
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 8,469,976 cases of new coronavirus, an increase of 82,929 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 946 to 223,393.
The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 pm ET on October 23 versus its previous report a day earlier.
Assam reports 258 new #COVID19 cases and 2,948 discharges today.
- ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2020
Total cases in the State rise to 2,03,967, including 1,82,791 discharges and 902 deaths. Active cases at 20,271: State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pic.twitter.com/3vEwEei88u
Rajasthan reports 1,852 new COVID-19 cases, 12 deaths
As many as 1,852 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths have been reported from Rajasthan in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed.
With this, the total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 1,84,422, including 17,100 active cases and 1,65,496 recoveries.
So far, 1,826 deaths have been reported from the state.
Delhi reports 4,116 new COVID-19 cases, 36 deaths
Delhi reported 4,116 new COVID-19 cases and 36 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to government data.
The tally reached 3,52,520 cases, including 3,19,828 recoveries/discharges/migrations and 6,225 deaths. The active cases in the national capital stand at 26,467.
Maharashtra records 6,417 new coronavirus cases, 137 deaths
Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally increased to 16,38,961 with 6,417 new cases, said a state health official.
The state also reported 137 deaths, taking the death count to 43,152, he said.
A total of 10,004 patients were discharged, taking the tally of recovered people to 14,55,107.
Iran calls for every effort to stop COVID-19 spread
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday called for stiff action to stem rising cases of novel coronavirus, in a rare public meeting with the national committee battling the pandemic.
"We must do everything" to reduce the number of deaths, Khamenei said, adding that health officials "must ensure that infected people are identified and treated from the start" of their sickness.
Iran is struggling with recent records highs of daily deaths from Covid-19.
Madhya Pradesh Covid case count rises to 1,66,298
The tally of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh rose to 1,66,298 after 1,004 people tested positive, while 20 deaths took the fatality count to 2,875, a health official said.
A total of 1,268 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the state's overall recovery count to 1,51,946.
8,253 COVID-19 cases, 25 deaths reported in Kerala
Kerala has reported 8,253 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total infection count to 3,73,148, while 25 fatalities pushed the death count to 1,306.
Out of the new cases today, 7,084 people contracted the virus through contacts, 163 came from outside the state, while the source of infection of 939 patients was not known, Health Minister KK Shailaja said in a release.
As many as 67 health workers were among those infected, she said.
Display awareness messages to combat COVID-19: Delhi government to housing societies
The Delhi government has asked all cooperative group housing societies to display COVID-19 awareness messages at the entrance of their respective complexes through hoarding, banners and standees.
The government said the message - "Wear mask, follow physical distancing, and maintain hand hygiene to combat COVID-19" - should also be displayed in communications being sent by them to various authorities and organisations.
In a circular, the office of registrar cooperative societies said all cooperative group housing societies should follow the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on July 17 this year.
Gujarat records 1,021 new coronavirus cases
Gujarat's tally of coronavirus cases rose to 1,66,254 with addition of 1,021 cases, the state health department said.
The death of six more COVID-19 patients raised the state's total fatalities to 3,682, it said.
With 1,013 patients getting discharged, the number of recovered cases rose to 1,48,585, it stated. With this, the state's recovery rate stands at 89.37 per cent.
A total 52,980 tests were conducted for coronavirus in the last 24 hours, at the rate of 815.08 tests per day per million population.
Many countries don't have enough oxygen available to assist sick patients as they struggle to breathe. The oxygen project reflects WHO's commitment to end-to-end solutions and innovation to do what we do better, cheaper and to reach more people. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/hSsfn3xKOC
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 24, 2020
Tripura reports 65 new Covid cases
Tripura's COVID-19 death count rose to 337 with one more person died due to the disease, while 65 new positive cases took the tally to 30,135, a health department official said.
West Tripura district, of which state capital Agartala is a part, accounted for 175 of the 337 COVID-19 deaths.
Tripura currently has 2,058 active cases, while 27,717 patients have recovered from the disease so far.
Germany's COVID-19 deaths top 10,000
A total of 10,003 virus deaths in Germany have been recorded by federal government agency the Robert Koch Institute, while 14,714 new cases have been diagnosed in the last 24 hours -- a daily record.
Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute disease control authority, says the country is facing a "very serious" situation.
Chancellor Angela Merkel tells citizens in a weekly video podcast that "the order of the day is to reduce contacts, to meet as few people as possible".
Andhra Pradesh completes 75 lakh sample tests, reports 3,342 COVID-19 cases
Andhra Pradesh has completed 75 lakh sample tests and so far detected 8,04,026 positive cases, including 3,342 in 24 hours, of coronavirus.
The overall infection positivity rate in the state touched 10.72 per cent, three per cent higher than the national average, the latest bulletin said.
About 3,572 patients were cured in the last 24 hours, taking the overall recoveries to 7,65,991, with the overall recovery rate being 95.3 per cent.
Coronavirus: US Sees Daily Record Of Nearly 80,000 New Covid-19 CasesA record of nearly 80,000 new Covid-19 infections over the course of a day were reported in the United States on Friday, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
Nations mulling Gilead's COVID drug should consider trial flop, too: WHO
Health officials reviewing Gilead Science Inc's remdesivir against COVID-19 should consider all evidence, including a trial in which the medicine failed, before giving it the green light, the top WHO scientist said on Friday.
US regulators appeared not to have done so when approving the drug this week, Soumya Swaminathan told a news conference.
The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Gilead's antiviral drug for treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19, making it the first and only drug approved for the disease in the United States.
Asia becomes second region to exceed 10 million coronavirus cases
Asia surpassed 10 million infections of the new coronavirus on Saturday, the second-heaviest regional toll in the world, according to a Reuters tally, as cases continue to mount in India despite a slowdown and sharp declines elsewhere.
Behind only Latin America, Asia accounts for about one-fourth of the global caseload of 42.1 million of the virus. With over 163,000 deaths, the region accounts for some 14% of the global COVID-19 toll.
Philippines reports 2,057 new coronavirus cases, 19 more deaths
The Philippines' health ministry on Saturday recorded 2,057 new coronavirus infections and 19 additional deaths.
In a bulletin, the ministry said total confirmed cases have increased to 367,819 while deaths have reached 6,934.
The Philippines has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.
Indonesia reports 4,070 new coronavirus infections, 128 new deaths
Indonesia reported 4,070 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, taking the total number of cases to 385,980, official data from the country's COVID-19 taskforce showed. It also reported 128 new deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 13,205.
4,119 more people recovered from the virus on Saturday, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 309,219.
Aurangabad logs 121 fresh COVID-19 cases
With the addition of 121 new cases of COVID-19, the count of infections in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district has reached 37,225, an official said on Saturday.
Of the latest cases recorded on Friday, 55 were from rural areas, 33 from Aurangabad city and the remaining were detected by rapid antigen tests, the official said.
As many as 34,789 patients have recovered from the infection in the district, while 1,048 persons have died of the infection so far. There are currently 1,388 active cases in the district, he added.
Odisha reports 1,695 new COVID-19 cases, 15 more fatalities
Odisha on Saturday reported 1,695 new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the coastal state to 2,79,582, while 15 fresh fatalities pushed the deaths to 1,229, a health department official said.
Of the new cases, 986 were reported from various quarantine centres and 709 people detected during contact tracing, he said.
Khurda district, of which state capital Bhubaneswar is a part, recorded the maximum number of fresh cases at 183, followed by Balasore at 128, Sundargarh at 110 and Cuttack at 103.
Puducherry registers 128 new COVID-19 cases, two more deaths
Puducherry clocked 128 fresh cases of coronavirus infection on Saturday taking the overall tally to 34,112 while two people died of the disease, pushing the deaths to 586.
While Puducherry region accounted for 103 fresh cases out of the total 128 new cases Karaikal had 8, Yanam eleven and Mahe had six cases. The fresh cases were identified at the end of examination of 3865 samples, a release from Director of Health and Family Welfare services S Mohan Kumar said.
Of the overall 34,112 Covid cases in the Union Territory 3,912 were now active, 29,614 were treated and discharged. He said the two people who died of the infection had complaints of COVID pneumonia.
Coronavirus: 61% of Covid Recoveries Reported From 6 States/Union Territories: Government Poland's president tests positive for coronavirus: official
Polish President Andrzej Duda has tested positive for coronavirus but is feeling good, presidential minister Blazej Spychalski announced on Saturday.
"The president yesterday was tested for the presence of coronavirus. The result turned out to be positive. The president is fine. We are in constant contact with the relevant medical services," Spychalski said on Twitter.
Duda's infection comes as the country faces a surge in the COVID-19 epidemic, with new infections hitting a daily record of more than 13,600 on Friday.
Ladakh records 28 fresh COVID-19 cases; Kargil gets first RTPCR lab
With 28 fresh cases, the COVID-19 tally of the Union Territory of Ladakh has shot up to 5,840, an official bulletin said on Saturday.
Ladakh has so far recorded 68 deaths due to COVID-19, while the number of cured patients has gone up to 4,984 with 82 people being discharged from various hospitals in the last 24 hours, the bulletin released by the Directorate of Health Services said.
Of the new cases, 18 were reported from Leh district and 10 from Kargil district.
The bulletin said 72 patients were discharged in Leh and 10 in Kargil, bringing down the number of active COVID-19 cases in the Union Territory to 788 -- 650 in Leh and 138 in Kargil.
Italy COVID cases hit new record, street protest in Naples over lockdown threat
Italy's Campania region, based on the southern city of Naples, said on Friday it would impose a lockdown to tame the coronavirus and urged the whole country to follow suit as new infections hit a record high.
Campania has already closed most of its schools and imposed a nighttime curfew, and in the evening police used tear gas in Naples against hundreds of people protesting against the prospect of even tougher measures.
COVID-19 cases across the country have risen seven-fold since the start of the month, jumping to 19,143 on Friday and raising fears that the pandemic is spiralling out of control.
Europe, WHO sound alarm over resurgent virus crisis
The European Union's disease control agency has joined frantic health workers to sound the alarm over a coronavirus surge across the continent, as the World Health Organization warned of an "exponential" rise in infections.
Even countries that avoided severe outbreaks during Europe's first wave of contagion in the spring have watched their case numbers surge, with Germany's deaths passing 10,000 on Saturday.
Governments have reintroduced containment measures to slow the renewed spread of the virus in nations that only weeks earlier believed they had triumphed over the crisis.
Arunachal Pradesh reports more COVID-19 recoveries than fresh cases
The number of COVID-19 recoveries in Arunachal Pradesh surpassed fresh cases on Saturday, with 206 people recuperating from the disease, while 68 people tested positive for the virus, pushing the coronavirus caseload to 14,145, a senior official said.
One more person died due to the infection on Friday taking the total fatalities in the state to 33, he said.
1,273 new coronavirus cases, five deaths in Telangana
Telangana reported 1,273 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the aggregate to 2.30 lakh, while five more deaths pushed the toll to 1,303 in the state.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 227, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri 104 and Rangareddy 102 districts, a government bulletin said on Saturday providing data as of 8 PM on October 23. As many as 19,937 are under treatment and 35,280 samples were tested on October 23.
Jharkhand reports 435 new COVID-19 cases, three fresh fatalities
Jharkhand's COVID-19 tally rose to 99,045 as 435 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said on Saturday. Three more patients died due to the disease, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 862, he said.
Of the fresh fatalities, two were reported from East Singhbhum district and one from Godda, the official said.
Ranchi district registered the maximum number of new cases at 103, followed by Bokaro at 65 and West Singhbhum at 46.
Jharkhand now has 6,055 active coronavirus cases, while 92,128 people have been cured of the disease so far, the official said.
"It is terrifying": Europe braces for lengthy battle with COVID
Europe faces a lengthy battle against the coronavirus at least until mid-2021, France warned on Friday, as anxious governments introduced ever more restrictions to curb the disease once again accelerating through the continent.
Europe's daily infections have more than doubled in the last 10 days, reaching a total of 7.8 million cases and about 247,000 deaths, as a second wave right before winter has crushed economic revival hopes.
"When I listen to scientists I see that projections are for at best until next summer," French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to a hospital near Paris.
Germany virus deaths cross 10,000: Health Institute
Germany has suffered more than 10,000 Covid-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to official data published Saturday.
A total of 10,003 deaths have been recorded by the Robert Koch Institute, a federal government agency, with 418,005 infections recorded nationwide.
Of those, 14,714 were diagnosed in the last 24 hours -- a daily record.
COVID-19 restrictions to remain imposed until December in France, says Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that coronavirus-related social restrictions will remain in force at least until this December.
"We will be accessing the effectiveness of the made decisions ... At least until the beginning of December, everything that was announced by the government will remain in place. These measures -- I can say this to your for sure -- will not be reduced and they may even be reinforced if we find them not effective enough," Macron said during a press conference.
US Sees Daily Record Of Nearly 80,000 New Covid-19 Cases
A record of nearly 80,000 new Covid-19 infections over the course of a day were reported in the United States on Friday, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
Between 8:30 pm Thursday and the same time Friday, 79,963 infections were recorded, bringing the total number since the start of the pandemic to nearly 8.5 million in the country.
The United States had already approached the bar of 80,000 daily cases in July, largely due to new infections in southern states such as Texas and Florida, where the virus was then spreading out of control.
Coronavirus news: Turkey records 2,165 new COVID-19 cases, highest daily increase since May 6
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Turkey has risen by 2,165 to 357,693 within the past 24 hours marking the largest daily increase since May 6, Turkish Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said.
Turkey has registered the largest number of new cases since early May for the second day in a row, which means that the nation is facing the second wave of the pandemic like many other countries, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: Odisha begins preparation of database of frontline workers for COVID-19 vaccine
The Odisha government on Friday has started preparing a data base of healthcare workers and anganwadi workers, who will be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The decision has been taken by the State Health and Family Welfare Department following the indication from the Centre, ANI reported.
Coronavirus news: 31 fresh virus cases in Ladakh; total count 5,712
Thirty-one more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Ladakh, taking the number of infections in the union territory to 5,712, an official bulletin said on Friday.
So far, 68 people have died from the infection in Ladakh, PTI reported.
