Coronavirus LIVE: 17,518 new Covid cases in Kerala; 6,753 in Maharashtra

A decline of 3,881 cases was recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours

9:27 AM

Devotees to be allowed in Haridwar only if they have a negative RT-PCR report

9:20 AM

Maharashtra: Covid-19 caseload of Thane rises by 305, death toll by 10

With the addition of 305 coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 5,41,960, an official said on Friday.

These cases were reported on Thursday, he said.

As the virus claimed the lives of 10 persons, the fatality count in the district rose to 10,944. Thane's Covid-19 mortality rate is 2.01 per cent at present, he added.

9:16 AM

Symbolic 'snan' in Haridwar on Saturday on the occasion of Guru Purnima

9:11 AM

Pakistan: Covid-19 cases surge, active caseload over 50,000 amid Eid celebrations

The coronavirus situation is worsening in the country with each passing day as Pakistan reported 52,752 active virus cases on the second day of Eid ul Adha.

 

As per the National Command and Operation Centre's (NCOC) statistics from Thursday morning, 40 deaths were reported from coronavirus in Pakistan in the last 24 hours, while 2,158 new positive cases were recorded in the country, reported Geo News.

 

According to the NCOC, 34,216 tests were conducted yesterday and the positivity ratio remained over six percent. The current positivity rate stands at 6.30 per cent.

 

The death toll due to disease in the country has now reached 22,928 and 922,929 patients stand recovered from the infection, reported Geo News.

9:10 AM

EU to donate more than 200 million vaccines by end of year

The European Union announced on Thursday that it will donate more than 200 million doses of vaccines against Covid-19 to countries with average and low incomes before the end of this year.

 

That is twice the initial amount the 27-nation bloc planned to deliver, mostly through COVAX, a UN-backed program to provide vaccines to the poorest parts of the world.

 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU had "taken on its responsibility in helping the world fight the virus".

8:56 AM

Global Covid-19 caseload tops 192.5 mn, deaths surge to 4.12 mn

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 192.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 4.12 million and vaccinations soared to over 3.74 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

 

In its latest update on Friday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload, death toll and the total number of vaccine doses administered stood at 192,516,387, 4,127,963 and 3,746,414,242, respectively.

 

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 34,282,698 and 610,190, respectively, according to the CSSE.

 

In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 31,257,720 cases.

8:46 AM

Arunachal aims to achieve 100% first dose Covid-19 vaccination coverage by mid-August

The Arunachal Pradesh Government aims to innoculate 100 per cent of the state's population against Covid-19 by mid-August, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said.

 

While speaking at the sixth e-Pragati virtual meeting with district administrations on Thursday, the Chief Minister emphasised on headcounts at the base for the vaccination drive rather than the population census or electoral rolls to give the correct status of vaccination.

 

"This will give the correct status of vaccination doses as a good chunk of the population of interior districts may have their names in electoral rolls of their respective districts but are settled in urban areas of other districts, where they might have got their jabs," he said.

8:33 AM

Brazil reports 1,412 more Covid-19 deaths

Brazil has registered 1,412 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising its national death toll to 547,016, the health ministry said on Thursday.

 

Meanwhile, the total caseload rose to 19,523,711 after 49,757 new cases were detected, the ministry said.

 

Brazil currently has the world's second-highest pandemic death toll after the United States, and the third-largest caseload after the United States and India.

 

The South American country, which is experiencing a new wave of infections and overwhelmed hospitals, has a mortality rate of about 260 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, said the ministry.

8:19 AM

CDC sees ‘pivotal moment’; Indonesia becomes new epicenter

The US is “at another pivotal moment in this pandemic,” with Covid-19 cases once again climbing and beds at some hospitals filling up, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said. The recent rise in cases shows no signs of abating in the US states that have fueled the uptick as the delta variant proliferates.

 

Indonesia has become a new epicenter for the pandemic after a recent streak of 50,000 infections a day, with more than 1,000 virus fatalities every day in the world’s fourth-most populous country. The Tokyo Summer Olympics are starting with events held without spectators for the first time in history as coronavirus cases surge throughout Asia.

8:10 AM

Tokyo Olympics linked Covid cases go past 100, organisers announce 19 new cases

The Covid-19 cases associated with the Olympic Games breached the 100-mark on Friday with the announcement of 19 new infections and the Czech contingent seemed among the worst hit after a fourth athlete -- road cyclist Michal Schlegel -- tested positive for the virus.

 

The Tokyo Olympic organisers, in their daily Covid-19 update, announced that three athletes, 10 Games-concerned personnel, three mediapersons and as many contractors associated with the event have been found positive.

 

The total number of cases directly linked to the Games stood at 106 on Friday with 11 of them athletes.

 

The Czech contingent reported its sixth overall case even as it investigated breach of health safety protocols while travelling to Japan.

 

"The fourth athlete and the sixth Czech member of the team, who did not avoid a positive test for COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics, is road cyclist Michal Schlegel," the country's National Olympic Committee (NOC) stated.

 

"His positive antigen test was also confirmed by PCR analysis in a cycling village in Izu. Now Schlegel is back in the hotel for road cyclists in isolation," it added.

8:08 AM

Australia's drug regulator approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds

Australia's drug regulator has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use with 12 to 15-year-olds, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Friday, as the country fights an outbreak of the Delta variant in three states.

 

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has thoroughly assessed the domestic and international evidence before extending its approval for the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to this age group, Hunt said in a statement.

 

Similar clearances for the use of the vaccine in children were approved several weeks ago by regulators in the United States, European Union and Britain.

 

8:08 AM

US senators aim to stop vaccine misinformation by going after tech's legal immunity

Two Democratic US senators on Thursday will add to the stack of bills going after Section 230 - a law that protects tech companies from being sued over content posted by users - making such platforms responsible for health-related misinformation.

 

The legislation introduced by Amy Klobuchar and Ben Ray Lujan requires internet platforms such as Facebook to take down health and vaccine-related misinformation during public health emergencies or be held liable for that failure.

 

It also directs the Department of Health & Human Services to issue guidelines on what constitutes health misinformation.

7:49 AM

China reports 48 new Covid-19 cases on July 22 vs 50 a day earlier

China reported 48 new Covid-19 cases in the mainland on July 22, down from 50 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Friday.

 

Local infections accounted for 12 of the new cases, unchanged from a day earlier, the National Health Commission said in a statement. All of the local cases were reported in the eastern province of Jiangsu, it added.

 

The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, rose to 35 from 18 cases a day earlier.

7:35 AM

Australia's Victoria state reports slight easing in COVID-19 cases

Australia's Victoria state reported a slight easing in new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while neighbouring New South Wales braces for another rise in infections despite more than half the country's population in lockdown.

 

7:29 AM

US terms China's position on Covid-19 origin probe as 'dangerous'

After China rejected the second phase of the World Health Organisation (WHO) probe, the United States on Friday accused Beijing of "stonewalling" the study of origins of COVID-19.

Addressing a press briefing, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said, "The US supports the WHO plan for phase two, which commits to ensuring these studies are scientific, transparent, expert-led, and free from interference."

Responding to Beijing's decision, Psaki said, "We have certainly seen the PRC's [China's] comments, again, rejecting phase two of the WHO study. We are deeply disappointed. Their position is irresponsible, and frankly, dangerous."