Corona Updates You Must Track: India Tally Close To 76 Lakh, Under-50,000 Daily Infections After Nearly Three Months

India cases and toll: At 75,97,063 cases, India’s coronavirus tally is inching close to the 76-lakh mark. The country reported 46,790 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, between 8 am Monday and 8 am Tuesday, according to the data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This is the first time in nearly three months when India has reported less than 50,000 daily cases of coronavirus.

The active caseload has also gone below the 8-lakh mark and is currently at 7,48,538. In the last 24 hours, 587 people succumbed to the disease, taking the COVID-19 toll to 1,15,197. So far, 67,33,328 people have recovered from the illness. A total of 10,32,795 tests for COVID-19 were conducted across the country on Monday.

Durga Puja pandals in Bengal to be no-entry zones for visitors, rules High Court: The Calcutta High Court on Monday ruled that Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal will be no-entry zones for visitors and only organizers will be allowed entry. At bigger pandals, 25 members have been allowed inside the no-entry zones while for smaller pandals, this number is 15. Further, all puja pandals will have to erect barricades at the entrance. The ruling comes a few days before the festival begins.

Bengal has been witnessing a steady increase in daily cases—the state recorded nearly 4,000 (3,992) fresh infections in the last 24 hours, its biggest surge so far. Bengal’s coronavirus count has reached 3,25,028, with 63 people succumbing to the disease in 24 hours.

COVID-19 tracker for 20 October. Source: Twitter/@COVIDNewsByMIB

Global corona update: The coronavirus outbreak continues to unleash havoc across the world, seven months after the World Health Organization officially called it a pandemic on 11 March. The global COVID-19 tally has now surged to 4,06,59,963, which includes 91,74,422 active cases, 3,03,62,361 recoveries and 11,23,180 deaths, as per Worldometer. Currently, 72,746 COVID-19 patients are in serious or critical condition.

Meanwhile, on the vaccine development front, the interim results of the experimental vaccine developed by Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc. could be available in November, reported the Wall Street Journal quoting the firm's CEO Stephane Bancel, and it could get an emergency use nod by the US government in December.