Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi logs highest single-day fatality count; 7,486 cases

Coronavirus update: Maharashtra has 1,752,509 coronavirus cases, Karnataka 864,140, Andhra Pradesh 856,159, Tamil Nadu 761,568 and Kerala 533,500. Stay tuned for coronavirus India LIVE updates

Coronavirus update: India has reported nerely 38,617 fresh Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours. The total caseload now stands at 8,912,907. The country's death toll has mounted to 131,031. Delhi recorded 6,396 fresh Covid-19 cases taking the infection tally in the national capital to over 495,000 on Tuesday. Ninety-nine more fatalities pushed the death toll to 7,812.

Amid the rise in Covid-19 cases in the NCR, particularly in the national capital, authorities in Noida have decided that people coming from Delhi to Noida will be randomly tested for the virus from today onwards.

World coronavirus update: The global tally of coronavirus cases stands at 56,016,137. While 38,926,873 have recovered, 1,342,715 have died so far. The US, the worst-hit country, has 11,688,474 cases, and 254,125 have died from the disease there. It is followed by India, which has 8,912,907 cases, Brazil (5,911,758), France (2,036,755), Russia (1,971,013).

Stay tuned for the latest coronavirus-related news.

2:10 AM

Iraq reports 2,349 new Covid-19 cases, warns curfew may return

The Iraqi Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 2,349 new Covid-19 cases, warning "a full or partial curfew" could return amid the surge in cases.

"If we notice an increasing number of infections, then we will have to re-impose a full or partial curfew," said Riyadh Abdul-Amir, head of the ministry's Public Health Department, said in a press release, as the country's total number of cases has reached 526,852.

The ministry carried out many awareness campaigns but the citizens always failed to adhere to health protective measures, he noted.

1:58 AM

663 ICU beds to be added in hospitals; restrictions could be in Covid hotspots: Delhi CM

Over 660 ICU beds are planned to be added in various city government hospitals in the next few days in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases here, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday. He was interacting with reporters after visiting GTB Hospital in east Delhi, accompanied by Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

A meeting was held with doctors at GTB Hospital and they have agreed to add over 230 ICU beds in the next two days, Kejriwal said. "In all, 663 ICU beds shall be added in various Delhi hospitals in the next few days," Kejriwal said, adding that "despite such a huge surge in cases, our doctors have managed the COVID-19 situation well".

He visited the facility of the city government in east Delhi to review the preparedness and facilities in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases here.

1:54 AM

New York City schools to close again as city fights coronavirus

New York City is shuttering schools to try to stop the renewed spread of the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday in a painful about-face for one of the first big U.S. school systems to bring students back to classrooms this fall.

The nation's largest public school system will halt in-person learning Thursday, the mayor and schools chancellor said. The city had said since summer that school buildings would close if 3% of all the coronavirus tests performed citywide over a seven-day period came back positive. As the rate neared that point last week, de Blasio advised parents to prepare for a possible shutdown within days.

The mayor said the rate has now passed that mark.

1:24 AM

Norwegian Air seeks bankruptcy protection as pandemic takes toll

Norwegian Air has asked an Irish court to oversee a restructuring of its massive debt as it seeks to stave off collapse amid the coronavirus pandemic, the budget airline said on Wednesday.
 

Norway's government last week rejected the airline's plea for another injection of state funds, and the company said the following day it was at risk of having to halt operations in early 2021 unless it got access to more cash.

"The main purpose here is to come out of this process quite shortly with a company that is 'investable', where we can be attractive again for investors," Chief Financial Officer Geir Karlsen told Reuters.

1:19 AM

Delhi Covid hospitals can engage 4th, 5th year MBBS students: Govt

Covid hospitals of Delhi govt are permitted to engage 4th and 5th year MBBS students, Interns and BDS doctors to assist duty doctors at honorarium of Rs 1000 (8 hrs shift) and Rs 2000 (12 hrs shift) per day. In case of interns, honorarium would be over and above their stipend: Delhi govt

1:07 AM

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asks officials to ensure that treatment to Covid-19 patients in private hospitals is provided at the rate fixed by state government

12:48 AM

Assam's Covid-19 tally reaches 210,865 with 169 new cases

Assam's Covid-19 tally reaches 210,865 with 169 new cases; 3 new deaths take toll to 969: Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

12:47 AM

7,486 fresh Covid-19 cases in Delhi, tally to over 500,000

7,486 fresh Covid-19 cases in Delhi take tally to over 500,000; death toll rises to 7,943 with 131 more fatalities: Authorities

12:47 AM

J&K Covid-19 tally reaches 104,155 with 574 fresh cases

Jammu and Kashmir's Covid-19 tally reaches 104,155 with 574 fresh cases; 9 new deaths take toll to 1,613: Officials

12:46 AM

1,791 new coronavirus cases in Karnataka, tally 866,000

1,791 new coronavirus cases, 1,947 recoveries in Karnataka, tally 866,000, active cases 25,146; toll 11,578 with 21 more deaths: Health Dept

11:48 PM

802 new Covid cases in Punjab, tally 143,000

802 new coronavirus cases in Punjab, tally 143,000, active cases 5,937; toll 4,541 with 31 more deaths: health bulletin

11:09 PM

Third phase trial of Covaxin to start on Nov 20

Third phase trial of Covaxin to start on 20 Nov. 200  volunteers to be administered the vaccine early to study its anti-bodies response. There'll be 2 doses;2nd dose to be given 28 days after first dose. Expecting vaccine's efficacy to be more than 90%: VC, PGI Rohtak, Haryana

11:03 PM

Chhattisgarh records 2,048 new coronavirus cases, 23 deaths

With 2,048 new Covid-19 cases and 23 fatalities, Chhattisgarh's caseload rose to 2,15,413 while death toll reached 2,646 on Wednesday, a health official said. The number of people who have recovered increased to 1,93,997 after 232 people were discharged from hospitals while 1,170 patients completed their home isolation during the day.

The state now has 18,770 active cases. Raipur district reported 227 new cases, taking its total count to 43,883, including 635 deaths.

Raigarh district recorded 219 new cases, Janjgir- Champa 209, Korba 200, Rajnandgaon 142, Durg 132, Bilaspur 129 and Balod 119, among other districts. "Of the latest fatalities, two took place on Wednesday and 12 on Tuesday while nine had taken place earlier but were added to the tally on Wednesday," the official said.

Chhattisgarh's coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 2,15,413, New cases 2,048, Death toll 2,646, Recovered 1,93,997, Active cases 18,770, people tested so far 21,99,345.

10:01 PM

Nagpur district reports 389 COVID-19 cases, 175 recoveries

Maharashtra's Nagpur district on Wednesday registered 389 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 1,07,213, the local administration said. A District Information Office release said seven more Covid-19 patients succumbed to the infection, taking the death toll to 3,538.

Besides, 175 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, pushing the tally of recovered cases to 1,00,374, it said. The number of active cases in the district stood at 3,301, the release added.

9:00 PM

Coronavirus vaccine update: Pfizer says analysis shows 3.8% of participants experienced fatigue

Pfizer Inc on Tuesday updated its analysis of the safety profile of its COVID-19 vaccine seen during its large, late-stage trial, saying that 3.8% of participants experienced fatigue after receiving a second dose of the shot.

 

It said the updated analysis was based on 8,000 trial participants. Pfizer said in a previous analysis that 3.7% of 6,000 volunteers had experienced fatigue.

 

Pfizer also added that there was a second adverse event with a frequency of at least 2% in the trial. The U.S. drugmaker said 2% of participants experienced headaches after the second shot.