Highlights: 8,308 new Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra takes tally to 2,92,589

Hong Kong authorities reported 50 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on Friday, stoking further concern about an escalating third wave of infections in the global financial hub, reports Reuters.

Seven more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh, taking the total number of cases in the state to 1,384 which includes 375 active cases, 9 deaths and 985 recoveries, the state's health department said, reports ANI.

Himachal Pradesh detects 7 new #COVID19 positive cases today, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 1,384 including 375 active cases, 985 recoveries and 9 deaths: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/oQgXQDAtPp

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed to constitute one lakh teams in the state for effective surveillance on COVID-19 situation. The state's Covid-19 tally is at 43,441 while the death toll stands at 1,046 reports ANI.

Russia's death toll due to the novel coronavirus crossed 12,000 on Friday after 186 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. Over 6,400 new cases have taken the country's infection tally to 759,203, reports Reuters.

91 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Puducherry, taking the total number of cases in the union territory to 1,832. The death toll stands at 25 whereas 1,014 people have recovered so far, reports ANI.

Puducherry reported 91 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, taking total number of cases to 1,832 including 1,014 recoveries and 25 deaths: Puducherry Health Department pic.twitter.com/J4803VaG7F

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Tokyo, recorded yet another highest single day spike of 293 coronavirus cases. On Thursday, the capital city of Japan had recorded 286 infections. Tokyo city had seven serious cases as of Thursday, compared to 105 at the peak in April, and saw just one death in the past three weeks, reports Bloomberg.

Tamil Nadu Labour Minister Nilofer Kafeel tested positive for coronavirus, becoming fourth minister in state to get infected, reports PTI.

Five more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Mizoram, taking the total number of cases in the state to 272, an official said, reports PTI.

Indian carrier IndiGo launched a scheme on Friday that allows a passenger to book two seats for himself or herself to ensure additional safety amid the coronavirus pandemic. "The charges for the extra seat will be effectively up to 25% of the original booking cost. This offer is effective travel starting July 24, 2020," the airline said in a statement, reports PTI.

M Goutham Kumar, the mayor of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) said that it will be better if more time is available to tackle the Covid-19 crisis and that lockdown in Bengaluru should be extended for one more week. He mentioned that proposal for the same has been given to the government, reports ANI.

Around a hundred patients broke out of a COVID Care Centre in Assam's Kamrup district and blocked National Highway 31, alleging that they were not being provided with proper food and water, officials said, reports PTI.

718 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Odisha, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16,110 which include 5,124 active cases. A total of 3,69,738 tests have been conducted till Thursday, the state's health department said, reports ANI.

The Indian Council of Medical Research said that a total of 1,30,72,718 samples have been tested for the novel coronavirus infection till July 16. Out of these, 3,33,228 samples were tested yesterday, reports ANI.

1,30,72,718 samples tested for #COVID19 till 16th July, of these 3,33,228 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) pic.twitter.com/u2zE5PcVwk

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2020

Israel imposed a new weekend shutdown and tightened a series of Covid-19 curbs to lower infection rates, amid growing public anger over the government's handling of the crisis. People will be allowed to step outdoors this weekend but malls, shops and other such places would shut from Friday afternoon till Sunday morning, reports Reuters.

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India registered yet another highest single-spike of 34,956 coronavirus cases and 687 deaths. The country's Covid-19 tally has crossed one million and the death toll stands at 25,602.