149 New Cases In 24 Hours, COVID-19 Count Crosses 800-Mark

India saw the highest jump in coronavirus or COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours with 149 patients testing positive for the highly contagious illness in different parts of the country. The total is now 873, which includes 19 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry. A vaccine is still at least 12 to 18 months away, the World Health Organization has said, urging the countries to "unite to fight the pandemic together". The global economy has plunged into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. "It is clear that we have entered a recession that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis," she said in an online press briefing.