A total of 36,604 new Covid-19 infections were logged in the last 24 hours as the country's caseload of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) reached 9,499,413, the Union health ministry's data showed on Wednesday. The active cases continue fell below 430,000 while recoveries crossed 8.9 million. Delhi, the epicentre of the country's recent surge of new Covid-19 cases, on Wednesday logged 3,944 new cases and 82 deaths, as per Delhi govt's data, taking the capital city's overall tally to 578,324 including 9,342 deaths.
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Meanwhile, officials in the United States, the world's worst-affected country, on Tuesday unveiled plans to vaccinate millions of Americans as early as mid-December. Officials said as many as 20 million people could be vaccinated by the end of 2020, and by mid-2021 most Americans will have access to highly effective vaccines.
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Odisha to offer cheapest Covid-19 RT PCR test; State government caps prices at ₹400 for private labs
Private laboratories in Odisha will now charge ₹400 for Covid-19 RT PCR test after state government capped the maximum prices for the test. Dropped from the earlier price of ₹1,200, this is now the cheapest in India.
State health department said that goods and services tax is included in the price.
Uttarakhand state's Covid-19 tally reaches 75,784 cases
Uttarakhand reported 516 new Covid-19 infections and 13 deaths today, taking the state's tally to 75,784 overall cases and 1,251 fatalities. Recovery rate stands at 90.83 per cent after 68,838 patients have recovered, of whom 473 have recovered today.
Positivity rate in Uttarakhand is currently 5.54 per cent.
Maharashtra's Covid-19 numbers for today: 1,832,176 overall infections, 47,357 fatalities
Media bulletin from Maharashtra state health department has released data on Covid-19 cases in the state, reported by ANI.
Gujarat's Covid-19 caseload at 212,769; death toll reached 4,018
Gujarat reported 1,512 new Covid-19 infections and 14 deaths today taking the death toll in the state to 4,018 fatalities.
Overall cases in the state stands at 212,769 with 14,813 active cases.
Recovery rate in Gujarat is 91.15 per cent with 1,570 discharges today and 193,938 overall recoveries.
A total of 7,963,653 tests have been conducted in the state of which 69,186 were done today, reports PTI.
Overall Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu reach 784,747; fatalities reach 11,733
Tamil Nadu reported 1,428 fresh Covid-19 infections today with 11 new fatalities taking the overall tally to 784,747 cases and 11,733 deaths.
Recoveries reach 762,015 after 1,398 people were discharged. Active cases in the state stands at 10,999.
Chennai city has reported maximum infections in the state with 216,119 overall cases.
A total of 68,854 samples were tested today and the state has so far tested 12,102,345 samples, a health department bulletin said.
Vladimir Putin asks Russian government to start mass vaccinations against Covid-19 next week
Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova to begin mass vaccination in the country against Covid-19 by next week. He expressed confidence that more than 2 million doses of Sputnik V would be ready in the "next few days."
Doctors and teachers have been identified as two at-risk groups in Russia and Golikova confirmed that the drive would begin and vaccinations would be voluntary and cost free, reports ANI.
Austria allows skiing for Christmas but with restrictions
Skiing would be allowed in Austria from December 24 but many restrictions would be put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Ski lifts would have limited capacity and restaurants, bars and hotels would largely be kept closed until January, reports the Associated Press.
Covid-19: Delhi HC extends interim bail by 45 days of undertrial prisoners
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday extended the interim bail of around 3,499 undertrial prisoners by a further 45 days to de-congest jails here because of the persisting coronavirus pandemic, reports PTI.
Afghanistan's Covid-19 case tally reaches 46,980
A total of 263 new Covid-19 positive cases have been registered in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, bringing the number of patients infected with the disease to 46,980 in the country, said Public Health Ministry on Wednesday, reports ANI/Xinhua.
CM Capt Amarinder Singh to take first Covid-19 shot in Punjab
With the Covid-19 vaccine in the final stages of operationalisation in India, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced that he will take the first shot of the vaccine in the state, once it is cleared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), reports ANI.
First published: Dec 02, 2020 07:07 IST