Last month, India's total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered crossed the 100-crore mark. (File)
India recorded a single-day rise of 12,885 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's infection tally to 3,43,21,025 today. The active case count declined to 1,48,579, the lowest in 253 days, according to Union Health Ministry data.
The death count due to the infection climbed to 4,59,652, with 461 daily fatalities being recorded, the data showed.
The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 20,000 for 27 straight days, and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 130 consecutive days now.
The tally of active cases has declined to 1,48,579 which comprises 0.43 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020. The national recovery rate was recorded at 98.23 per cent, the highest since March 2020.
Haryana Reports One Covid Death, 7 CasesHaryana reported one death due to COVID-19 and seven new infections on Thursday, pushing the state's total fatality count to 10,050 and the infection tally to 7,71,287.
According to the health department's daily bulletin, the death was reported from Panchkula district. The state recorded a death due to COVID-19 after a gap of a few weeks.
Delhi Reports 40 Fresh Covid-19 Cases, No New Death For 13th Consecutive DayDelhi reported 40 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours.
No death was recorded for the thirteenth consecutive day due to the disease.
As per the Delhi Health Department's bulletin, the cumulative caseload has escalated to 14,40,003 including 303 active cases.
Kerala Reports 7,545 New COVID-19 Cases, 55 DeathsKerala reported 7,545 new COVID-19 cases and 55 deaths in the last 24 hours.
According to the State Health Department bulletin, the total active caseload in the state is 74,552.
Covid cases in Croatia hit record highCroatia recorded its highest coronavirus infection rate in a single day Thursday, as officials in the country with some of Europe's lowest inoculation rates urged the public to get vaccinated.
A total of 6,310 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, official figures showed.
The surge in infections in Croatia comes as the virus has hammered large swathes of Europe, with the World Health Organization warning that the continent could see another half a million deaths by early next year.
Mumbai records 262 new COVID-19 cases, 6 deathsMumbai reported 262 new coronavirus cases and six deaths, taking the infection tally to 757,034 and the toll to 16,265, a civic official said. The financial capital had logged 330 COVID-19 cases and five fatalities on Wednesday.
The official said the city is left with 3,370 active COVID-19 cases after 269 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the number of recoveries to 7,34,859.
Jammu and Kashmir records 95 new COVID-19 cases
Jammu and Kashmir recorded 95 fresh cases of the coronavirus, taking the number of infected persons to 3,32,651 while no fresh death due to the virus was reported from the union territory in the past 24 hours, officials said. Out of the 95 fresh cases, 14 were from the Jammu division and 81 from the Kashmir division of the union territory, the officials said.
Vaccine mandate for US businesses to take effect Jan 4: officialStrict rules intended to push tens of millions of American workers into getting vaccinated against Covid-19 will come into effect on January 4, President Joe Biden's administration announced Thursday.
The mandates targeting businesses with more than 100 employees, health care workers, and federal contractors represent the most aggressive steps Washington has taken yet against the virus and its Delta variant, which has hobbled America's economic recovery in recent months.
"The single consistent deadline across all three requirements is January 4, 2022," when any employee covered by the requirement must either receive their final vaccination dose or submit to at least weekly Covid-19 testing, a senior administration official said.
Karnataka reports 261 new COVID-19 casesKarnataka has reported 261 new COVID-19 cases, 296 recoveries and 5 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total cases: 29,89,275
Total recoveries: 29,42,884
Death count: 38,095
Active cases: 8267
UK becomes first country to approve anti-Covid pillBritain on Thursday approved the use of Merck's antiviral pill to treat patients suffering from mild to moderate coronavirus infections, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced.
"Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for Covid-19," said health minister Sajid Javid.
Over 3 lakh challans issued for Covid violations from April 19 to Nov 3 in Delhi
The Delhi Police has issued 3,14,977 challans, mostly for not wearing face masks, between April 19 and November 3 this year for violation of various Covid-related norms, of which the maximum were issued to people for not wearing face masks, officials said. According to the latest data shared by the Delhi Police, 3,14,977 challans have been issued for such violations since the announcement of lockdown in the national capital on April 19 last year.
Rising pace of Covid transmission in Europe of "grave concern": WHOThe rising number of cases of Covid-19 in Europe is of "grave concern" and the region could see another half a million deaths by early next year, the World Health Organization warned on Thursday.
"The current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference, adding that one reliable projection would mean "another half a million COVID-19 deaths," by February if the current trajectory continued.
The WHO's European Region spans 53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia.
Pakistan reports 580 new COVID-19 cases, 19 more deathsPakistan on Wednesday reported 580 new COVID-19 cases and 19 more deaths, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said. The NCOC, a department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said that the country has conducted 20,966,900 tests so far, confirming 1,275,158 cases, including 1,224,085 recoveries, Xinhua reported.
There are 22,577 active cases under treatment across the country, including 1,247 in critical condition.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Arunachal Pradesh Reports 7 New COVID-19 Cases
Arunachal Pradesh reported seven new COVID-19 cases, one less than the previous day, pushing the tally to 55,174 on Thursday. Four more persons recuperated from COVID-19, taking the total number of recoveries to 54,809. The COVID-19 recovery rate in the state now is 99.34 per cent.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Assam Reports 276 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 4 Deaths
Assam reported 276 new COVID-19 cases, 365 recoveries and 4 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state health department on Thursday informed that the total cases have now gone up to 6,11,487.
There are 2,292 active COVID-19 cases in the state. The death count has gone up to 6,015 and the total recoveries from this virus are at 6,01,833. The fatality rate is at 0.98 per cent.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Mumbai Reports 330 Fresh COVID-19 Cases In Past 24 Hours
Mumbai reported 330 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Wednesday. With 378 recoveries reported in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries mounted to 7,34,590. The recovery rate climbed to 97 per cent. As per the Municipal corporation, 115,48, 887 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in the city since the onset of the pandemic. At present, there are 3,386 active cases in the city.
Covaxin Gets WHO Approval, Finally The World Health Organization on Wednesday granted Covaxin an emergency use listing, or EUL, which means the 'made-in-India' vaccine will finally be recognised by other countries and Indians who received the shot need not self-quarantine or face restrictions when travelling abroad.
Covaxin has been cleared for use in all age groups (18+) over two doses spaced four weeks apart. However, no recommendation has been made for use on children, and available data for use on pregnant women is insufficient to assess safety or efficacy, WHO said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates: West Bengal Logs 919 New COVID-19 cases In Last 24 Hours
West Bengal witnessed an uptick in COVID-19 cases on Wednesday after the state recorded 919 new infections and 14 fatalities, a health department bulletin said. This is a rise from Tuesday when 862 fresh cases and 14 COVID-19 deaths were registered. Kolkata alone reported 245 new cases in a single day, a marginal drop from 249 infections on Tuesday.
Centre Asks Himachal, Andhra, J&K To Review Rise In Covid CasesThe Union Health Ministry on Wednesday asked Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to undertake a review of rising COVID-19 cases and weekly positivity rates, and enhance testing.
In letters to the Himachal Pradesh health secretary, Andhra Pradesh principal secretary of health and the Jammu and Kashmir additional chief secretary of health, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry, Arti Ahuja highlighted the increase in weekly new Covid cases since last week (October 26-November 1) and early signs of rise in positivity rates since the past four weeks till October 31.