Highlights: UK records more than 50,000 new Covid cases for 5th consecutive day

A one-day nationwide dry run for Covid-19 vaccination began on Saturday and is currently underway, after the exercise was carried out in four states-Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab-on December 28 and 29. The country's search for a Covid-19 vaccine is also on the verge of ending as a subject experts committee (SEC) of the government on Friday reportedly gave its approval for the emergency use authorisation (EUA) of Oxford University-AstraZeneca's Covishield, which will be manufactured in India by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). The vaccine will by officially cleared for use after approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), where its EUA application will be sent next.

India's tally of cases of Covid-19, meanwhile, is at 10,305,788 after the Union health ministry on Saturday reported that the country had logged a total of 19,079 infections in the preceding 24 hours. Recoveries, active cases and death toll are at 9,906, 387, 250,183 and 149,218 respectively. These constitute 96.12%, 2.43% and 1.45% of the country's total Covid-19 cases thus far.

11:08 PM IST

Chandigarh reports 29 new Covid cases in last 24 hours

Chandigarh on Saturday reported 29 fresh coronavirus cases and one death, taking the infection count to 19,865, according to a medical bulletin, reports PTI.

10:56 PM IST

Russia inoculates more than 800,000 people against Covid-19

More than 800,000 people in Russia have been inoculated so far against the new coronavirus and more than 1.5 million vaccine doses have been dispatched, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Saturday, reports Reuters.

10:42 PM IST

Jharkhand logs 151 new Covid cases in last 24 hours

Jharkhand reported 151 new #COVID19 cases & 205 recoveries & 4 deaths today.

The total number of cases now stands at 1,15,392 including 1,12,734 recoveries, 1034 deaths, and 1,624 active cases: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/fO42PbojUb
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

10:06 PM IST

Himachal Pradesh records 149 new Covid-19 cases

Himachal Pradesh reports 149 new #COVID19 cases, 339 cured cases, and 2 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases: 55,619
Total cured cases: 52,443
Deaths: 926
Active cases: 2,202 pic.twitter.com/DOdTXQ0Ldl
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

09:33 PM IST

UK records 57,725 new Covid-19 cases, 445 deaths

The United Kingdom recorded a further 57,725 cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, the fifth day running that it has topped 50,000, and another 445 deaths, official data showed, reports Reuters.

09:19 PM IST

J-K record 244 new coronavirus cases

Jammu and Kashmir recorded 244 new coronavirus cases and another death, taking the tally to 1.21 lakh and the toll to 1,885 on Saturday, officials said, records PTI.

08:55 PM IST

Karnataka logs 755 new Covid cases

Karnataka reported 755 new #COVID19 cases, 976 discharges and 3 deaths today.

Total cases: 9,21,128

Total discharges: 8,98,176

Death toll: 12,099

Active cases: 10,834 pic.twitter.com/rhteaRq2QS
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

08:40 PM IST

Covid-19 recoveries in Iran cross 1 million mark

Iranian health authorities announced 6,045 new Covid-19 infections on Saturday, bringing the overall count to 1,237,474 cases in the country, reports ANI.

08:37 PM IST

Rajasthan government imposes night curfew from 8 pm to 6 am in 13 urban districts

Night curfew from 8 pm to 6 am will be in force within the urban limits of the district head quarter towns of 13 districts — Kota, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, Bhilwara, Nagore, Pali, Tonk, Sikar & Ganganagar: Rajasthan Government
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

08:08 PM IST

Manipur records 37 new Covid cases

Manipur reported 37 new #COVID19 cases, 40 recoveries & 1 death today, says State Health Department.

Total cases so far: 28,243

Total recoveries: 26,782

Active cases: 1,104

Total Deaths: 357

Recovery rate is 94.82 % pic.twitter.com/mKvBW239Yn
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

07:56 PM IST

Mumbai logs 592 fresh Covid cases

Mumbai reports 592 new #COVID19 cases, 695 recoveries/discharges and 7 deaths today.

Total cases rise to 2,94,659 including 2,74,767 recoveries/discharges and 11,132 deaths.

Active cases stand at 7,892 pic.twitter.com/XhSBDC1t5B
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

07:18 PM IST

Finland records first adverse reaction to Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine

The Finnish Medicines Agency has received the first report of an adverse reaction to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against coronavirus a week after Europe started its mass immunization campaign, the Finnish YLE broadcaster reported on Saturday, reports ANI.

07:13 PM IST

Tamil Nadu records 910 new Covid cases

Tamil Nadu reported 910 new #COVID19 cases, 1,007 discharges, and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours: State Health Department

Total cases: 8,19,845

Total discharges: 7,99,427

Death toll: 12,146

Active cases: 8,272 pic.twitter.com/8M6nlxfVCq
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021

03:33 PM IST

Four UK returnees to Gujarat test positive for new strain

Four passengers who returned from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the new strain of Covid-19 in Gujarat, says Jayanti Ravi, state principal secretary (health).

03:16 PM IST

494 new Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths in Delhi

Delhi reports 494 new Covid-19 cases, 496 recoveries and 14 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Delhi health department.

Delhi reports 494 new #COVID19 cases, 496 recoveries and 14 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Delhi Health Department

Total cases: 6,26,448

Total recoveries: 6,10,535

Death toll: 10,571

Active cases: 5,342 pic.twitter.com/kyi7wIp4aT
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2021