Coronavirus LIVE updates: India cases at 8,728,795; active cases at 484,547

Coronavirus update: Maharashtra has 1,736,329 coronavirus cases, Karnataka 855,912, Andhra Pradesh 849,705, Tamil Nadu 752,521 and Kerala 508,256. Stay tuned for coronavirus India LIVE updates

Coronavirus update: India has reported 43,861 fresh Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours. The total caseload now stands at 8,727,900. The country's death toll has mounted to 128,686. Delhi recorded a spike of 7,332 Covid-19 cases on Thursday taking its infection tally to over 467,999, while 104 more fatalities pushed the national capital's death toll to 7,332. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 900 crore stimulus towards research and development of the Covid-19 vaccine while also assuring that funds will be provided according to the requirement for the cost of the vaccine and logistics requirement as well in future.

World coronavirus update: The global tally of coronavirus cases stands at 53,060,114. While 37,169,884 have recovered, 1,298,449 have died so far. The US, the worst-hit country, has 10,861,241 cases, and 248,488 have died from the disease there. It is followed by India, which has 8,727,900 cases, Brazil (5,783,647), France (1,898,710), Russia (1,858,568).

Stay tuned for the latest coronavirus-related news. 

2:04 AM

Punjab reports 17 more coronavirus deaths, 738 new cases. Infection tally reaches 140,605

1:54 AM

Covid casts a shadow on Diwali shopping in Hyderabad

Like many other festivals for last eight months, Covid-19 had its shadow on Diwali too with the usual shopping buzz associated with the festivities clearly missing.

 

There were thin crowds in the Hyderabad markets on the eve of Diwali. However, it was a mixed bag for the traders.

 

While shopping malls and leading stores wore a near deserted look, shops in the traditional markets saw brisk business.

1:45 AM

Kerala reports 5,804 new Covid-19 cases

A total of 5,804 new Covid-19 cases, 6,201 recoveries and 26 deaths were reported in Kerala on Friday.

 

According to the state government, the recoveries have gone up to 4,34,730. The state has 77,390 active cases and 1,822 persons have died due to the virus.

1:36 AM

7,802 new coronavirus cases take Delhi's tally to 474,000; death toll reaches 7,423

12:58 AM

Bihar reports 581 new Covid-19 cases, seven more deaths

Bihar's Covid-19 tally rose to 226,080 as 581 more people tested positive for the infection, while seven fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,174, a health department bulletin said on Friday.

 

At least 870 people were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 2,18,828, it said.

12:31 AM

SpaceX's Musk gets mixed virus tests on eve of crew launch

SpaceX chief Elon Musk may have to steer clear of NASA's Kennedy Space Center after getting mixed Covid-19 test results on the eve of his company's second crew launch.

 

Musk took to Twitter on Friday to say he tested positive for coronavirus, then negative twice, then positive again. He said he wasn't feeling too well the past few days sniffles, cough, low fever but currently had no symptoms.

 

So 'Elon Musk Tests Negative for Covid' is an equally correct title, he tweeted.

12:14 AM

Himachal Pradesh reports 825 fresh coronavirus cases, 11 deaths in a day

11:30 PM

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reviews Covid situation in state

There is a possibility of a spike in Covid-19 cases in the coming days due to the festive season and the onset of winter, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Friday.

 

He issued directions to ensure availability of oxygen beds, ICU beds and adequate number of ventilators in hospitals throughout the state.

 

The chief minister was addressing a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation in the state.

11:16 PM

132 new Covid-19 cases push Gautam Buddh Nagar's infection tally close to 20,000

11:10 PM

Assam coronavirus cases and deaths update

10:54 PM

Nagaland's Covid recovery rate rises to 90.93 per cent

Nagaland on Friday reported its highest Covid-19 recovery rate of 90.93 per cent as 81 patients recuperated from the disease, while 23 fresh cases pushed the state's tally to 9,638, a health department official said.

 

This is for sixth consecutive day that the state has recorded more recoveries of Covid-19 patients than detection of fresh positive cases, which has improved the recovery rate, said Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Denis Hangsing in the daily Covid-19 bulletin.

10:34 PM

Israel signs deal with Pfizer for potential Covid-19 vaccine

Israel signed a deal with Pfizer Inc on Friday to receive 8 million doses of the drugmaker's potential Covid-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, enough to cover close to half of Israel's population.

 

Pfizer confirmed that it had finalised a critical supply agreement with Israel "that will provide the Israeli people with a Covid-19 vaccine once approved by regulatory authorities," the company's Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said.

 

The deal needs approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Israel's health ministry, Israeli officials say. Israeli Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Pfizer is expected to apply for approval at the end of November.

10:29 PM

Ahmedabad sees 219 Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths; 185 recover

Ahmedabad in Gujarat reported 219 Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking its count to 44,909, while three patients died and 185 people were discharged from hospitals, an official said on Friday.

 

Of the 219 new cases, the highest for any district in the state during this period, 190 were from city limits, which also accounted for 167 of the people discharged, he said.

10:04 PM

Banker gets one-year jail term for coronavirus relief fund fraud

A northern Virginia banker who admitted illegally receiving $1.4 million in fraudulently obtained coronavirus relief funds has been sentenced to a year in prison.

 

Tarik Jaafar, 42, of Woodbridge, was arrested in June at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after purchasing one-way tickets to Poland.

 

Authorities say he and his wife had 18 bags of luggage and nearly $50,000 in cash with them at the time.

9:53 PM

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah tests positive for coronavirus