Coronavirus Cases In India: Total active cases now stand at around 4.46 lakh. (File)
India recorded 31,118 new coronavirus cases, the lowest daily tally since November 17, data from the health ministry showed on Tuesday.
India now has 94.62 lakh COVID-19 infections, but the number of new daily cases has stayed below the 50,000 mark since November 7 despite a busy festival season last month.
Deaths rose by 482, bringing the total to 137,621.
India, which reported its first case on January 30, is the second worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said that up to 30 crore Indians would be inoculated against COVID-19 by August 2021 according to the central government's plans. However, he also reiterated the need to follow appropriate protocols to fight off the disease.
Distributing masks and soaps at the Old Delhi Railway Station today, the minister, who is also Chairman of the Indian Red Cross Society, said the vaccine will be available before the middle of next year in India.
"In the first 3-4 months of next year, there is a possibility we will be able to provide vaccine to the people of the country. By July-August, we have a plan to provide vaccines to around 25-30 crore people and we are preparing accordingly," Mr Vardhan told reporters.
Here are the Highlights on India Coronavirus Cases:
Machu Picchu To Ease COVID-19 Visitor LimitThe Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of Peru's tourist sites, will increase its daily visitor limit to more than 1,000, the Culture Ministry said Tuesday.
Machu Picchu reopened on November 1 after a nearly eight-month lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, but for safety reasons, only 675 tourists were allowed to access the site per day, just 30 percent of the number of visitors pre-pandemic.
From Wednesday, the capacity will increase by 40 percent to 1,116 daily visitors, the ministry said.
The ministry said it decided to increase daily capacity after the rate of Covid-19 infections in Peru began to decline.
Before the pandemic, between 2,000 and 3,000 people per day entered the citadel, and as many as 5,000 during high season.
In March, on the last day of visits before shutting down, 2,500 people visited Machu Picchu.
Punjab reported 630 new COVID-19 cases, 812 discharges and 14 deaths on Tuesday, says Government of Punjab.
Total cases in the State rise to 1,52,709, including 1,40,254 recoveries and 4,821 deaths.
Active cases stand at 7,634
Chandigarh on Tuesday reported 128 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total positive cases to 17,537, says Health Department, UT-Chandigarh.
A total of 16,173 patients recovered from the infection till date, death count at 278.
Active cases stand at 1,086.
Several Private Labs Welcome Government's Move To Slash RT-PCR Test Rate In DelhiA day after the Delhi government directed to slash the price of RT-PCR tests to diagnose COVID-19, many private laboratories welcomed the step, with some saying this will give a much-need respite to citizens amid the ongoing pandemic situation in the national capital.
The city government on Monday had ordered to reduce the rate of RT-PCR tests in Delhi to Rs 800 from existing Rs 2,400. While the cost of collecting samples from home was reduced to Rs 1,200.
"As we know, RT-PCR tests are the gold standard for detecting COVID-19. This is a welcome move by the Delhi state government as the number of COVID-19 cases is rising incrementally here," said Caesar Sengupta, vice president, Thyrocare lab network.
"We understand that the slashing of the cost has come amid the third wave, and hence the need for ramping up of the testing capacity in the city. We are anticipating another surge in the city, and this comes as a much-needed respite for citizens," he said.
Coronavirus News: Goa Records 161 New COVID-19 Cases, Two Deaths
Goa's coronavirus caseload went up by 161 to reach 48,124 on Tuesday, a health department official said, reported news agency PTI. The death count mounted to 690 as two patients died due to the infection during the day, he said. The number of recovered persons in the state rose to 46,068 with 128 patients being discharged on Tuesday. The number of active cases is now 1,366, the official said.
Coronavirus News: Goa Records 161 New Covid Cases, 2 Deaths
Goa's coronavirus caseload went up by 161 to reach 48,124 on Tuesday, a health department official said, reported news agency PTI. The death count mounted to 690 as two patients died due to the infection during the day, he said.
Coronavirus News: Jammu And Kashmir Adds 454 New COVID Cases, 8 Deaths In 24 Hours
Jammu and Kashmir recorded 454 fresh cases of novel coronavirus infections on Tuesday and eight deaths due to the disease in the last 24 hours, bringing the infection count to 1,10,678 and the death count to 1,702, officials said, reported news agency PTI. Of the new cases, 217 are from the Jammu division and 237 from the Kashmir division, they said. The officials said Srinagar district registered a maximum of 118 new COVID-19 patients, followed by 95 in Jammu.
Coronavirus News: Maharashtra Adds 4,930 New COVID Cases, 95 Deaths
Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 4,930 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the infection count to 18,28,826, the state health department said, reported news agency PTI. With 95 deaths, the overall death count mounted to 47,246, it said. 6,290 patients were discharged during the day, taking the tally of recoveries to 16,91,412, a health department official said, adding that the state now has 89,098 active cases.
Coronavirus News: Delhi Records 4,006 COVID Cases, 86 Deaths
Delhi records 4,006 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking infection tally to over 5.74 lakh, authorities said, reported news agency PTI. The death count has risen to 9,260 with 86 new fatalities, they said.
Coronavirus News: Kerala Logs 5,375 New Covid Cases, 6,151 Recoveries
Kerala registered 5,375 COVID-19 cases and 6,151 recoveries on Monday, while over 60,000 people are presently undergoing treatment for the disease, Health minister KK Shailaja said, reported news agency PTI. The death count has climbed to 2,270 with 26 fatalities, she said in a press release. In the last 24 hours, 58,809 samples have been tested and the test positivity rate touched 9.14 per cent. So far 63,21,285 samples have been sent for testing, the minister said.
Coronavirus News: 31 New Cases Push Tripura's COVID Tally To 32,726
Tripura's COVID-19 tally rose to 32,726 on Tuesday as 31 more tested positive for the infection, a health official said, reported news agency PTI. Seventy-two people have been cured of the disease, he said. The state now has 595 active coronavirus cases, while 31,741 people have recovered from the disease, 367 people have died due to the infection and 23 patients have migrated to other states so far, the official said.
Coronavirus News: High Court Seeks Delhi Government's Stand On Safe Disposal Of Swabs Used For Covid Tests
The Delhi High Court today asked the counsel for the Delhi government to take instructions on a plea seeking directions to follow stringent measures for the safe disposal of swabs used for Rapid Antigen Testing of COVID-19, reported news agency ANI. A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan, after going through the petition and submissions, asked the Delhi government counsel to take instructions and apprise the court about the same and listed the matter for December 3.
Coronavirus News: In Last 7 Days, India Logged 211 COVID Cases Per Million Population, Centre Says
In the last seven days, 211 COVID-19 cases per million population were recorded in the country along with two deaths per million population, the Centre said today, reported news agency PTI.
Coronavirus News: Gujarat Caps COVID RT-PCR Tests At Rs 800
Gujarat on Tuesday capped the price of COVID-19 RT-PCR test at Rs 800, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel said, reported news agency ANI. "The government has reduced the price of RT-PCR to Rs 800. If the patient wants doctors to come home and do the test, then it will cost Rs 1,100, which will be implemented from today," Mr Patel informed. Till now, the state's private labs have been charging Rs 1,500-2,000 for conducting the RT-PCR test.
Coronavirus News: India Reported Average Of 43,152 Positive Cases Daily In November
On average 10,55,386 COVID-19 tests were conducted daily and 43,152 new cases were reported daily on an average in November, the Health Ministry said, reported news agency PTI.
Coronavirus News: Over 14.13 Crore Covid Tests Conducted So Far, Positivity Rate On Decline, Says Centre
Over 14.13 crore COVID-19 tests have been conducted so far across the country, the Centre said today, reported news agency PTI. The cumulative positivity rate has declined from 7.15% on November 11 to 6.69% on December 1, they said.
Coronavirus News: Delhi's Covid Positivity Rate Should Decelerate In Next Two Weeks, Says Satyendar Jain
The COVID-19 positivity rate in the national capital has fallen by a margin of nearly 55 per cent since early November and it should reduce further in the next two weeks, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. Interacting with reporters, he also said the labs taking samples are being operated at their full capacity, hence there are some delays in test outcomes and this matter was being taken up with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Coronavirus News: Telangana Reports 503 New COVID-19 Cases, Three Deaths In 24 Hours
Telangana has reported 502 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed on Tuesday, reported news agency ANI. With this, the total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 2,70,318, including 9,627 active cases, and 2,59,230 discharges. Telangana's death count now stands at 1,461.
Coronavirus News: Over One-Third Children With COVID Show No Symptoms, Shows Study
More than one-third children, infected with the novel coronavirus are asymptomatic, according to a study which confirms that children diagnosed with COVID-19 may represent just a fraction of those infected, reported news agency PTI. The research, published in the journal CMAJ, analysed results for 2,463 children in Alberta, Canada, who were tested during the first wave of the pandemic -- March to September -- for COVID-19 infection.
COVID-19: Active cases shrink to 4.60% of total positive casesActive cases of COVID-19 in India have remained below the 5-lakh mark, with its share further shrinking to 4.60 per cent of the total coronavirus infections reported so far, according to the Union Health Ministry.
The daily new recoveries exceeding new cases has led to a total net reduction of the active caseload to 4,35,603.
A net decline of 11,349 cases has been recorded in the total active cases in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said on Tuesday.
A total of 31,118 new infections were added to the national tally in a day.
While some states like Kerala, Delhi, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh have witnessed a decline in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours, others such as Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Assam and Goa have reported an addition to their caseload.
Coronavirus news: UK MPs to vote on tier-based lockdown, as health minister says coronavirus "under control"UK Parliamentarians on Tuesday are set to vote on the government's tier-based coronavirus lockdown as the country's health minister said the COVID-19 situation was "back under control" but vigilance was necessary.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock attempted to rally lockdown sceptics at a Downing Street briefing on Monday evening, reiterating the need for a regional system of tiers, which come in force after England's current nationwide lockdown ends on Wednesday.
"While we can let up a little, we can't afford to let up a lot," said Hancock.
"We've reduced pressures on the NHS (National Health System), we've brought down the number of coronavirus cases, we've got this virus back under control... The success of our collective efforts means that from Wednesday, everyone in England, even those in tier three, can have some greater freedoms - but we don't have much headroom," he said.
Coronavirus news: Gujarat slashes RT-PCR test price to Rs 800The Gujarat government on Tuesday reduced the price of RT-PCR tests conducted by private laboratories for COVID-19 to Rs 800 from Rs 1,500. Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel told reporters that since the prices of test kits have come down, the state government decided to pass on this benefit to people.
"From today, the government-authorised private laboratories will charge Rs 800 for an RT-PCR test, a reduction of Rs 700 from the current rate," Mr Patel said.
The prices of test kits have come down following large scale production, he said.
If a laboratory assistant is called at home to collect samples, the charge for the RT-PCR test will be Rs 1,100, he said, adding that labs charge Rs 2,000 for the home collection service at present.
Coronavirus news: Court asks AAP government about protocols for disposal of used COVID-19 test kits
The Delhi High Court Tuesday asked the AAP government as to what guidelines or protocols were in place for disposal of used COVID-19 testing kits and whether they were being followed by the hospitals, clinics and doctors under its jurisdiction.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan asked the Delhi government additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose and advocate Naman Jain to find out the guidelines or protocols in place, the authority which issued them and whether they were being implemented.
"Come with instructions," the bench said to the Delhi government counsels and listed the matter for hearing on December 3.
COVID-19 Patients Treated As Untouchables Once Posters Near Homes: Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court today said that once posters are pasted outside the homes of COVID-19 patients, these people are treated as "untouchables", reflecting a different "ground reality".
The Centre informed the top court that although it has not prescribed this rule, the practice has nothing to do with "stigmatising" COVID-19 patients as it is aimed at protecting other people.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah said that the ground reality is "something different" and as once such posters are pasted at their homes, they are treated as untouchables.
COVID-19: Mizoram reports 22 new cases
As many as 22 new COVID-19 were reported in Mizoram in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the state to 3,847, the state Information and Public Relations Department informed on Tuesday.
The total figure includes 343 active cases and 3,499 recoveries.
The state has witnessed five COVID-19 fatalities so far.
With India reported 31,118 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, the tally has surged to 94,62,810, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
COVID-19: Russia registers 26,402 cases in past 24 hours
Russia has registered 26,402 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, up from 26,338 the day before, bringing the total to 2,322,056, the federal response centre said on Tuesday.
"In the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 26,402 COVID-19 cases in 85 regions, of which 5,694 (21.6 per cent) were detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the response centre said, adding that the case count has reached 2,322,056.
Moscow has confirmed 6,524 new coronavirus cases over the given period, up from 6,511 the day before. The Russian capital was followed by St. Petersburg with 3,697 cases, up from 3,691 the day before, and the Moscow region with 1,104 new cases, up from 1,064 the day before.
Coronavirus news: Hong Kong leader reiterates call to stay at home to curb spread of COVID-19Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday again urged residents of the densely populated city to stay at home and avoid unnecessary family gatherings as the global financial hub scrambles to contain a rise in coronavirus cases.
Lam was speaking at her weekly press conference a day after the government announced tighter measures to curb the spread of the disease that will see group gatherings restricted to two people and most civil servants working from home.Schools across the territory will close for the rest of the year from Wednesday.
The worsening situation in Hong Kong also prompted the government to extend the postponement of an air travel bubble with Singapore on Tuesday to beyond 2020.
Having once had the highest COVID-19 rates in Southeast Asia, Singapore has all but eradicated the virus and has the world's lowest fatality rate with just 28 deaths.Hong Kong has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases after weeks of reporting single-digit or low double digit numbers, but it has so far avoided a complete lockdown implemented in other cities across the world.
COVID-19 patients treated as untouchables once posters pasted on their homes, says Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court Thursday said that once posters are pasted outside the homes of COVID-19 patients, these people are treated as "untouchables", reflecting a different "ground reality".
The Centre informed the apex court that although it has not prescribed this rule, the practice has nothing to do with "stigmatising" COVID-19 patients as it is aimed at protecting other people.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said that the ground reality is "something different" and as once such posters are pasted at their homes, they are treated as untouchables.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that some states on their own are pursuing this practice to prevent the spread of the virus.
Coronavirus news: Centre-allotted labs taking more than 24 hours in providing COVID-19 test reports, says Delhi Health Minister
The Central government allotted laboratories are taking more than 24 hours in providing reports for the COVID-19 tests as they are working at their full capacity, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday.
"The turnaround period for results should be 24 hours. However, when the labs are functioning at full capacity... The Central government had promised that they will get the tests done by big labs. But these tests results are not being provided within 24 hours," the Minister told reporters.
He said that number of tests should always remain at least 10 per cent less than the capacity of the lab to ensure timely results. "The issue of delay is being taken up with the Centre and the Indian Council of Medical Research," the Minister added.
India'a COVID-19 testing crosses 14-crore mark
The total number of COVID-19 tests conducted in India crossed the 14-crore mark on Tuesday with 9,69,322 tests conducted on Monday, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) informed.
As many as 14,13,49,298 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in the country so far, according to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
This milestone in COVID-19 testing has been recorded just nine days after the 13-crore mark on November 21.
As many as 31,118 new COVID-19 infections were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 94,62,810, the MoHFW said.
COVID-19: One more dies of coronavirus in Puducherry, count mounts to 611Puducherry logged 53 fresh cases of COVID-19 and one related death on Tuesday, raising the
overall tally to 37,020.
Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao told reporters that a 45-year-old man died of the viral infection in JIPMER during the last twenty four hours ending 10 am today, pushing the count to 611.
Mr Rao said of the total 37,020 cases,the active cases were 439 while 35,970 patients recovered and were discharged so far.
Mr Rao said the fatality and recovery rates were 1.65 percent and 97.16 percent respectively.
He said 72 patients were discharged from hospitals during the last 24 hours.
COVID-19: Covishield safe and immunogenic, says Serum Institute
"Covishield safe amd immunogenic. Incident with the Chennai volunteer no way induced by the vaccine. All regulatory and ethical processes and guidelines were followed. Principal Investigator, DSMB and Ethics Committee stated it was non-related issue to vaccine trial," said Serum Institute of India
COVID-19: 22 new cases in MizoramAt least 22 people including two Assam Rifles personnel have tested positive for coronavirus in Mizoram, taking the state's COVID-19 tally to 3,847, an official said on Tuesday.
Of the 22 new cases, 13 were reported from Aizawl district, one from Serchhip and four cases each were reported from Champhai and Lawngtlai districts, he said.
While four patients have developed symptoms of COVID-19, the rest 18 patients were asymptomatic, he added.
According to the state health department, the state now has 343 active COVID-19, while 3,499 people have recovered from the disease.
Mizoram has so far reported 5 COVID-19 deaths, all from Aizawl district.
Coronavirus news: 8.3% rise in Maharashtra's Thane's COVID-19 cases in NovemberThe COVID-19 cases rose by 8.30 per cent in Maharashtra's Thane district during the last month, an official said on Tuesday.
At the end of October, the district's COVID-19 tally was 2,11,521 and it reached 2,29,080 on November 30, adding 17,559 new cases in the last month, he said.
The district reported 492 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the tally to 2,29,080, the official said.
The number of COVID-19 deaths in the district has gone up to 5,685 after eight more patients succumbed to the viral infection, he said.
As of now, there are 7,751 active COVID-19 cases in the district, while 2,15,644 patients have recovered.
The COVID-19 recovery rate in the district is 94.13 per cent, the mortality rate is 2.48 per cent, while the active cases constitute 3.38 per cent of the total infections reported so far, the official said.
COVID-19: IIT-Bhubaneswar study confirms social distancing norms, effectiveness of face maskHighlighting the importance of social distancing to contain the spread of COVID-19, a new study at IIT Bhubaneswar has found that small droplets released during a sneeze can travel up to 25 feet without protective measures like a face mask and tiny particles can also escape through such gears.
The study said protective measures like face mask and face shield effectively reduce the leakage and reach of the sneeze within 1ft3ft. However, they do not completely stop the leakage of smaller droplets, it said.
Hence social distancing is equally important. The study recommends using the elbow or hand to prevent droplets leakage even after wearing a mask during coughing and sneezing, IIT Bhubaneswar said in a statement.
COVID-19: 13 new cases push Arunachal's tally to 16,282Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 16,282 on Tuesday as 13 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said.
Forty-seven more people were cured of the disease, taking the recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state to 94.65 per cent, he said.
The Capital Complex region reported the highest number of new cases at seven, followed by Tawang and Lepa Rada (two each) and Lower Dibang Valley and Tirap (one each), State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.
Twelve infections were detected through rapid antigen tests and one during TrueNat tests, he said.
Coronavirus news: UN sees emergency aid needs exploding due to pandemic
The UN said Tuesday that $35 billion would be needed for aid in 2021, as the pandemic leaves tens of millions more people in crisis, and with the risk of multiple famines looming.
The world body's annual Global Humanitarian Overview estimated that 235 million people worldwide will need some form of emergency assistance next year -- a staggering 40-percent increase in the past year.
"The increase arises almost entirely because of Covid-19," United Nations emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock told reporters.
Next year, one in 33 people worldwide will be in need of aid, the report found, stressing that if all of them lived in one country, it would be the world's fifth largest nation.
COVID-19: 6 new cases in Andamans; tally rises to 4,710 The Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported six more COVID-19 cases, pushing the coronavirus tally in the union territory to 4,710, a health department official said on Tuesday.
Of the six new cases, five were detected during contact tracing, while one has travel history, he said.
Thirteen more people recovered from COVID-19, taking the total number of recoveries to 4,550, the official said.
COVID-19 cases taper in Telangana; 502 new cases addedTelangana continued to see a downward trend in daily COVID-19 cases with 502 fresh infections and three related deaths being reported, taking the tally to more than 2.70 lakh.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 101, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri 46 and Bhadradri Kothagudem 33, a government bulletin said on Tuesday providing details as of 8 pm on November 30.
The death count rose to 1,461 with three more fatalities.
As many as9,627 patients are under treatment and46,597 samples were tested on Sunday.
COVID-19: 31,118 Fresh Coronavirus Cases In India, 94.62 Lakh Total CasesIndia recorded 31,118 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total Covid caseload to over 94.62 lakh. The number of fresh infections is nearly 20 per cent lower than yesterday's.
India, which reported its first case on January 30, is the second worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States.
COVID-19 news: WHO calls Mexico's rising coronavirus trend "very worrisome"
The head of the World Health Organization said on Monday that Mexico is in "bad shape" regarding the coronavirus as infections and deaths surge, while the Mexican government forecast the pandemic would likely continue worsening until January.
Mexico's coronavirus death tally, the fourth highest in the world, stands at almost 106,000. Confirmed cases are in excess of 1.1 million, though public health experts say the true figure is likely significantly higher.
"The number of increase in cases and deaths in Mexico is very worrisome," WHO's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told a press briefing in Geneva. Citing the increase in the number of weekly deaths from 2,000 the week of Oct. 12 to around 4,000 by Nov. 23, "This shows Mexico is in bad shape," he said.
At least seven of Mexico City's 54 public hospitals treating COVID-19 patients are at full occupancy for coronavirus beds with respirators, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Coronavirus news: Croatian PM tests positive for COVID-19
A repeated COVID-19 test of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was positive, the country's cabinet said.
The Croatian Prime Minister went into self-isolation for 10 days on Saturday after his wife tested positive for coronavirus. At the same time, the first test of the head of government was negative.
"In accordance with recommendations of epidemiologists, Andrej Plenkovic was re-tested for the presence of COVID-19, the result was positive," the Croatian cabinet said on Twitter.
Coronavirus news: Joe Biden, UN Chief Discuss "Strengthened Partnership" On COVID-19, ClimateU.S. President-elect Joe Biden spoke with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, Biden's transition team said, discussing the need for a "strengthened partnership" to combat COVID-19 pandemic and climate change - two areas where President Donald Trump shunned a multilateral approach.
Trump has referred to climate change as a "hoax" and in 2017 pulled the United States out of a global accord to tackle climate change - a decision which took effect on Nov. 4. Biden has pledged to rejoin the deal, which was agreed in 2015.
Trump also cut funding to the World Health Organization and also announced plans for the United States to withdraw from the global body - a decision that would have taken effect in July next year. Trump has accused the WHO of becoming a puppet of China amid the coronavirus pandemic. Biden has said he will rescind Trump's decision.
Coronavirus news: California at COVID-19 "tipping point" as Trump administration hopes for vaccines by Christmas California's governor said on Monday the state was at a "tipping point" in the COVID-19 pandemic that would soon overwhelm hospitals as political leaders nationwide turn to increasingly aggressive measures to hold back the latest surge.
Governor Gavin Newsom said he may clamp new "stay-at-home" orders on California's roughly 40 million residents in the face of infections and hospitalizations that are still rising weeks before emergency vaccines are predicted for release.
"(California) has worked hard to prepare for a surge - but we can't sustain the record high cases we're seeing," Newsom said on Twitter.
The governor told reporters discussions were underway among state health officials over the potential stay-at-home order. He expects to issue a decision in the next day or two.
Coronavirus news: Odisha briefs Centre on Covid preparedness
The Odisha government on Monday briefed the central government regarding the preparedness for vaccination of health and frontline workers against COVID-19.
Reporting the level of preparedness, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said, "Odisha stands prepared for covid vaccination with prioritized list and well designed multi-sectoral response system at different levels."
Additional Chief Secretary Health and Family Welfare Pradeepta Mohapatra apprised, "The State Steering Committee constituted under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary and the State Task Force Committee constituted under Additional Chief Secretary Health & Family Welfare have already met to finalize the strategies of immunization."
Moderna Files For US Vaccine Authorisation, Will Seek EU NodModerna Inc said on Monday it has applied for U.S. emergency authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine after full results from a late-stage study showed it was 94.1% effective with no serious safety concerns.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said an advisory committee would meet to discuss the request on Dec. 17, making Moderna's candidate the second highly effective vaccine likely to receive U.S. regulatory backing and a potential roll out this year.
Nagaland's Covid Recoveries Cross 10,000-MarkThe number of COVID-19 patients, who have been cured of the disease in Nagaland, crossed the 10,000-mark on Monday with 188 fresh recoveries, Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom said.
The total number of recoveries in the northeastern state now stands at 10,086.
The coronavirus tally rose to 11,186 as 27 more people tested positive for the infection, he said.
Of the fresh cases, 14 were detected in Kohima, 11 in Dimapur and one each in Mokokchung and Mon districts, the minister said.
Paren reported the maximum of 133 new recoveries, followed by Dimapur (28) and Kohima (27), he said.
The recovery rate among COVID-19 patients in the state has improved to 90.16 per cent from 88.69 per cent recorded on Sunday, health department's director Dr Denis Hangsing said.
Odisha Allows Medical Colleges To Reopen From TodayThe Odisha government has allowed re-opening of medical colleges across the state from Tuesday, even as it authorised the School & Mass Education and Higher Education departments to decide on resumption of classroom teachings.
COVID-19 safety protocols will have to be followed in the medical institutes.
"All medical colleges of the state shall reopen with effect from 1st December, 2020. Medical college authorities shall follow all the SOPs/guidelines with respect to social distancing and prevention of spread of epidemic issued by the central/state government, scrupulously," a government order said on Monday.