Highlights: In daily spike, US reports 56,307 new Covid-19 cases

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust chairperson Mahant Nritya Gopaldas has tested positive for coronavirus disease Covid-19. In a statement, the Uttar Pradesh government said that chief minister Yogi Adityanath has taken details of Mahant Gopaldas’ health status. SR Mishra, District Magistrate, Mathura said the Mahant's condition is stable and is being shifted to Medanta Hospital.

At least 103 more people, including 44 security personnel, have tested positive for Covid-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, raising the state's tally to 2,430, a health department official said on Thursday. Barring one, all the new patients are asymptomatic, State Surveillance Officer Dr L Jampa said, reports PTI

305 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Puducherry, taking the total number of cases in the Union Territory to 6,680. Six new deaths have taken the toll to 102, Union Territory Health Department said, reports ANI.

Puducherry records 305 new #COVID19 cases and 6 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total positive cases and deaths to 6,680 and 102 respectively: Union Territory Health Department pic.twitter.com/rcMCGL1A5L

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2020

The government has distributed more than 3.04 crore N95 masks and over 1.28 crore personal protection equipment (PPE) kits among the states, Union territories and central institutions for free since March 11, the health ministry said on Thursday, reports PTI.

381 more Maharashtra Police personnel tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of cases in the police force to 11,773. The active cases have reached 2, 233 whereas the recoveries stand at 9,416, reports ANI.

381 more Maharashtra Police personnel test positive for #COVID19 & 3 died in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 124.

Total cases in the police force stand at 11,773, out of which 9,416 have recovered and 2,233 are active cases: #Maharashtra Police pic.twitter.com/AazWLLlZHx

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2020

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that a total of 2,68,45,688 sample have been tested for the novel coronavirus so far. More than 8,30,000 samples were tested on Wednesday, reports ANI.

The total number of samples tested up to 12th August is 2,68,45,688 including 8,30,391 samples tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Mjgizfyjiy

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2020

India on Thursday registered its highest ever single day spike of 66,999 coronavirus cases, pushing the overall tally to nearly 2.4 million. 942 deaths in the last 24 hours have taken the country's death toll to over 47,000.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee is in a comatose state, but his vital parametres are stable, the Army’s Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital said. The hospital further said that Mukherjee's condition remains unchanged and he continues to be on ventilator support. Mukherjee had tested positive for Covid-19 and underwent a brain clot surgery at the hospital on Monday.

The condition of former President Pranab Mukherjee remains unchanged this morning. He is deeply comatose with stable vital parameters and continues to be on ventilatory support: Army Research & Referral (R&R) Hospital, Delhi https://t.co/JPhaOOoEvL

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2020

Abhijit Mukherjee, son of former president Pranab Mukherjee tweeted that his father is still alive and haemodynamically stable. Pranab Mukherjee's daughter also tweeted that rumors circulating her father's health are false.

My Father Shri Pranab Mukherjee is still alive & haemodynamically stable !
Speculations & fake news being circulated by reputed Journalists on social media clearly reflects that Media in India has become a factory of Fake News .

— Abhijit Mukherjee (@ABHIJIT_LS) August 13, 2020

Australia was poised to post its lowest one-day rise in new Covid-19 cases in more than three weeks on Thursday, stoking hopes that a second wave of new infections gripping Victoria state is finally being brought under control, reports Reuters.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez on Wednesday said that Argentina and Mexico will produce the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for most of the Latin American region. Argentina posted a record daily number of Covid-19 infections on Wednesday with 7,663 new cases. Mexico has registered nearly 55,000 deaths and almost half a million cases in total, reports Reuters.

China reported 19 new coronavirus cases on the mainland on Wednesday, down from 25 on the previous day, the country's health authority said on Thursday. The National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin that 11 of the new cases were imported, versus 16 a day earlier, reports Reuters.

The Brazilian state of Parana on Wednesday signed a deal to test and produce coronavirus vaccine introduced by Russia, though officials pointed out that they would have to be sure of its safety and effectiveness. Officials said that the Russian vaccine will have to receive Brazilian regulatory approval and complete Phase 3 clinical trials, before being produced in the country, reports AFP.

A central Florida sheriff says his deputies won't be allowed to wear face masks except under some conditions, and neither will visitors to the sheriff's office. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in an email to staff that he had weighed both sides of the issue amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, reports AP.

New Zealand reported 13 new coronavirus cases in the community on Thursday from the previous day as the nation reels from a new outbreak. Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield told reporters in Wellington on Thursday that he expects the covid cluster to increase, reports Bloomberg.