Coronavirus live updates: Total cases in India rise to 1,18,447, death toll at 3,583

India sees biggest single-day spike with 6,088 COVID-19 cases since Thursday 8 am: Health Ministry

Vande Bharat Mission: Air India Express special flight arrives in Kochi with over 170 passengers from Doha, reports ANI

An Air India Express special flight (IX-0476) that took off from Doha, Qatar landed at Cochin International Airport in Kerala on Friday. The flight brought back 177 passengers and eight infants.

Total cases in India have risen to 1,18,447

This number includes 66,330 active cases, 48,533 cases in which the patients have been cured or discharged or migrated. The deaths have risen to 3,583, as per the latest update by Health ministry

Govt sets fare range for flights, 40% tickets to be sold below mid-point

The government has fixed minimum and maximum fares, effective till 11.59pm on August 24, for domestic flights that will resume from Monday. Airlines will need to sell 40% seats below midpoint of the fare band on each flight.

Nearly 39 million have lost jobs in US since virus took hold

The number of weekly applications has slowed for seven straight weeks. Yet the figures remain breathtakingly high - 10 times higher than normal before the crisis struck.

South Korea reports 20 new virus cases, China 4: AP

South Korea has reported 20 new coronavirus cases, including nine in the Seoul metropolitan area, as authorities scramble to stem transmissions while proceeding with a phased reopening of schools. China has reported four new confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Another 372 people are in isolation and undergoing monitoring for being suspected cases or after testing positive without showing symptoms, and 82 remain in the hospital for treatment of COVID-19.

From today booking/cancellation of reserved tickets shall also be available at Post Offices,Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra licensees & through authorized agents of IRCTC along with Passenger Reservation System counters of reservation centers and Common Service Centers: Indian Railways

It has been decided that the amount given to Police personnel who get infected with Covid-19 while on duty has been reduced to Rs 10,000 from Rs 1 lakh. This decision has been taken as Delhi Police bears hospital and other expenses: Delhi Police (ANI)

The amount given to the family of a police official who dies of Covid-19 has been increased from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh: Delhi Police (ANI)

RBI governor Shaktikanta Das to address media at 10:00 am today

5 more people have tested positive in Jharkhand's Bokaro, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 308

China has made 'major strategic achievements' against virus: Premier

China has made "major strategic achievements" in its response to the coronavirus outbreak, Premier Li Keqiang said at the opening of the National People's Congress on Friday. "At present, the epidemic has not yet come to an end, while the tasks we face in promoting development are immense," he told thousands of delegates in Beijing.

Govt sets fare range for flights, 40% tickets to be sold below mid-point

The government has fixed minimum and maximum fares, effective till 11.59pm on August 24, for domestic flights that will resume from Monday. Airlines will need to sell 40% seats below midpoint of the fare band on each flight. Based on flying time, there are seven categories: starting at flights below 40 minutes having a range of Rs 2,000-6,000 and going upto those with flying time of 3-3.5 hours with a range of Rs 6,500-18,600 (see graphic). With air services set to resume from May 25, most airlines have started taking bookings.

US secures 300m doses of potential Covid-19 vaccine

The US has secured almost a third of the first one billion doses planned for Astra Zeneca’s experimental Covid-19 vaccine by pledging up to $1.2 billion, as world powers scramble for medicines to get their economies back to work. The vaccine, previously known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and now as AZD1222, was developed by the University of Oxford and licensed to British drugmaker AstraZeneca. The US deal allows a late-stage — Phase III — clinical trial of the vaccine with 30,000 people in US.

20L migrants return to UP, 10L more expected

Over 20 lakh migrant workers have so far returned to UP, almost double of what the government was initially expecting, according to figures available with the administration till Thursday. In the next 10 days, another 10 lakh or so are expected to return. With nearly 2.6% of symptomatic migrants who have been tested turning Covid-19 positive, districts where a large number of people have returned are proving to be a cause of worry for the administration.

Experts want govt to fund vaccine, medicines

Health experts, including Niti Aayog member VK Paul and ICMR chief Balram Bhargav, have suggested the establishment of a contingency fund to help meet vaccination and medicine costs in the battle against Covid-19 as the drugs are expected to come with a hefty price tag. The issue was flagged during a meeting of the high-level group on health sector set up by the 15th finance panel on Thursday.

Covid deaths: Over 50% above 60 yrs; 73% had other illnesses

The elderly and those with co-morbidities continue to be most vulnerable to Covid-19 infection as over 50% of total fatalities are among people above 60 years of age, whereas 73% of those who died had underlying co-morbidities like diabetes, heart disorders and chronic kidney ailments, the latest health ministry analysis of deaths showed. As earlier, men are more at risk when it comes to fatalities, accounting for 64% of deaths. The age analysis of deaths showed that 0.5% of deaths were reported in the under-15 age group.

NH toll plazas to help migrant workers walking back home

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has asked all toll operators to record the number of migrants who received help from them and they need to provide the details of the facilities provided resting place, drinking water, providing footwear and medical assistance besides food. They also need to put in record any other assistance for their safety such as pasting radiant tapes on cycles so they vehicles can spot them from a distance.