Highlights: 7,581 coronavirus cases in Gujarat, death toll at 277

More than 12 million coronavirus infections have now been recorded across the world, over half in the United States and Latin America, according to an AFP tally of official sources on Thursday.

#BREAKING Global coronavirus cases surge past 12 million: AFP tally pic.twitter.com/2DujeYSe0J

— AFP news agency (@AFP) July 9, 2020

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed that 40,000 tests should be conducted in the state per day to trace the spread of coronavirus. Around 35,000 tests are being conducted per day in the state till now, reports PTI.

Eight states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka account for almost 90% of the active coronavirus infections in the country, the Group of Ministers (GoM) was informed. The union health ministry said that besides this, the GoM was also told that six states account for 86% of the deaths caused by the disease and 32 districts account for 80% of such deaths, reports PTI.

42 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 1,366 while the death toll stands at seven, reports Reuters.

Melbourne will allow some of its residents who live in the city's towers and the high-rise buildings to venture out. Victoria state asked citizens to remain under strict lockdown as cases saw a huge surge in the Australian state.

Aurangabad district in Maharashtra has 7,504 new cases of Covid-19. 330 people have died so far.

Russia's Covid-19 tally reached 707,301 after the nation reported 6,509 new cases. 10.843 people have died so far.

Himachal Pradesh has recorded 1,101 cases of Covid-19. 9 people have died so far.

Number of COVID-19 cases reaches 1101 in Himachal Pradesh, active cases stand at 256. Total 821 patients have recovered so far. Death toll stands at 9: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/sE9f6DJrkr

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2020

Union health minister pointed out that transmission rates can be high in certain places but as whole nation is not experiencing community transmission.

During our discussions today, experts again stated that there is no community transmission in India. There may be some localised pockets where transmission is high but as a country, there's no community transmission: Health Min Harsh Vardhan after Group of Ministers meet #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/JsETsYfHaV

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2020

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said that India has the 2nd highest population in the planet and its cases per million is 538. The global average is 1,453.

We are seeing on TV that India has become the 3rd most #COVID19 affected country. It is necessary to see this in correct perspective, we are a country with the 2nd highest population in the world. Our cases per million are 538, while world average is 1,453: Union Health Minister pic.twitter.com/jy9ZbyZgvY

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2020

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi tested negative for coronavirus on Thursday, a day after an employee of the Raj Nivas here was found to be infected with the virus, reports PTI.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath conducts daily Covid-19 briefing with UP state officials.

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holds a meeting with the officers of 'COVID-19 management team-11'. pic.twitter.com/j3508JE164

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 9, 2020

Tokyo has recorded 224 new cases of coronavirus infection on Thursday, public broadcaster NHK said, surpassing the Japanese capital's previous record of 206 infections on April 17, reports Reuters

India's death toll has also crossed the 21,000-mark.

ICMR says more than 250,000 people were tested yesterday. More than 1 crore people have been tested so far.

A total of 1,07,40,832 samples tested for #COVID19 till 8th July. Of these, 2,67,061 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) pic.twitter.com/7c68mZN1bj

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2020