Highlights: WHO chief says origin of Covid important to prevent future outbreaks

Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has made clear WHO's position on finding the origin of coronavirus. He has assured that the origin needs to be identified and it would help in preventing future outbreaks.

He also said that the study would be started from Wuhan in China and other avenues for the cause would be explored based on findings, news agency ANI reported.

A senior official at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Disease (NICED) in Kolkata said that the phase III trial of Covaxin would commence on Wednesday.

With 1000 volunteers to be administered with the vaccine, State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim would likely be given the first shot, the institute was quoted by news agency PTI.

The vaccine is developed in India by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in Georgia reported that 3,216 new Covid-19 cases were tested in the country, taking the total cases to 135,584 with 1,267 total fatalities.

Total recoveries stand at 113,986, news agency ANI reported.

With 2,677 fresh Covid-19 infections and 20 fatalities on Monday, case count in Rajasthan reach 268,063 and death toll stood at 2,312.

The state currently has 28,653 active cases with 237,098 total recoveries, news agency PTI reported.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that the total Covid-19 caseload in Kerala crossed the six lakh mark with 3,382 fresh infections and 21 fatalities. Death toll stands at 2,244 in the state.

Total recoveries reached 538,713 with 6055 reported on Monday alone.

Test positivity rate climbed down to 9.75 per cent and 34,689 samples were tested in the past 24 hours. The state currently has 504 hot spots, the CM said, as quoted by PTI.

Indonesia's health ministry on Monday reported 4,617 new infections and 130 fatalities in the past 24 hours. The country has reported 538,883 total cases and the death toll stands at 16,945.

All provinces in the country have been affected by the pandemic, reports news agency ANI.

The Philippines Department of Health reported 1,773 new infections on Monday, taking the country's total to 431,630 cases. Total fatalities reached 8,932 after 19 people died on Monday.

Philippines maintained a count of less than 2000 fresh infections per day for 19 straight days, until Sunday when the country tested 2,076 Covid-19 positive patients, reports ANI.

Moderna Inc. to apply for US and EU emergency authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, after full results from a late stage study arrived.

The company reported 100 per cent success in preventing severe cases, efficacy of 94.1 per cent with no serious safety concerns.

Independent advisors to the FDA have scheduled meeting on December 17 to review the Moderna vaccine.

The company has said that it is on track to produce 20 million doses of its vaccine for supply within the US before the end of 2020, reports news agency Reuters.

Researchers from Charite–Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany published a research in the journal Nature Neuroscience which says that the novel coronavirus may enter the human brain through the nose.

The study might help in learning more about neurological symptoms observed in some Covid-19 patients.

The study says SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the genetic material of the virus, was observed in the brain and nasopharynx, with intact virus particles in the nasopharynx, in a sample of 33 patients who have died from Covid-19, reports news agency PTI.

For the second time, Novavax has delayed its phase 3 trials for its Covid-19 vaccine in the US. Expected to begin by November, the company has cited issues in scaling up manufacturing.

Novavax already has a late-stage trial currently in progress in the UK and had delayed its US program earlier, once in October, reports news agency Reuters.

Govt to hold an all-party meeting of floor leaders in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on December 4 to discuss Covid-19 situation: Reports

Puducherry records first Covid-19 death after ten days as death toll rises to 610. 33 new cases, during the last 24 hours ending 10am Monday, take overall tally to 36,968.

Pakistan's Covid-19 death toll reaches 8,025 deaths with 40 fatalities in last 24 hours. Total tally rises to 398,024 with 2,839 new cases.

In the first three-four months of next year, there is a possibility that we will be able to provide vaccine to the people of the country. By July-August, we have a plan to provide vaccines to around 25-30 crore people & we are preparing accordingly: Union health minister Harsh Vardhan

I would like to request everyone to remember and follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and following social distancing. These are important for health: Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan