Coronavirus live updates: India reports 8,171 new Covid cases and 204 deaths in last 24 hours

Read: After 2,000 km trek home from Bengaluru, migrant dies of snakebite

He walked a gruelling 2,000 km for 12 days from Bengaluru to reach his village in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh and gave his mother an ecstatic hug. Barely an hour later, 23-year-old was dead — from a snake bite, after he stepped into a field to wash up after the dusty journey home.

Sensex inches 19.89 pts higher to 33,323.41 in opening session; Nifty up 4.30 pts at 9,830.45

India reports 8,171 new Covid cases and 204 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases in the country now at 1,98,706 including 97,581 active cases, 95,526 cured/discharged/migrated and 5,598 deaths: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Karnataka government will consult parents between June 10 and 12 to elicit their opinion on reopening of schools.

Read: Distancing and masks cut Covid-19 risk, says largest review of evidence

Keeping at least one metre apart and wearing face masks and eye protection are the best ways to cut the risk of Covid-19 infection, according to the largest review to date of studies on coronavirus disease transmission.In a review that pooled evidence from 172 studies in 16 countries, researchers found frequent handwashing and good hygiene are also critical - though even all those measures combined can not give full protection.The findings, published in The Lancet journal on Monday, will help guide governments and health agencies, some of whom have given conflicting advice on measures, largely because of limited information about Covid-19.

A Chinese doctor has died from Covid-19 after four months of treatment, reported AP quoting a state media outlet.

Read | Covid-19: Here's how cricket's dynamics can change

A California biotech company says its experimental drug remdesivir improved symptoms when given for five days to moderately ill, hospitalized patients with Covid-19, reports AP.

Gilead Sciences gave few details on Monday but said full results would soon be published in a medical journal. Read more

225 VIPs urge world powers to adopt $2.5 trillion Covid plan, reports AP

More than 225 current and former global VIPs are urging the world's 20 major economic powers to hold an urgent meeting to agree to a $2.5 trillion plan to tackle Covid-19 and launch an economic recovery from the pandemic, especially for hard-hit developing and middle-income countries.

Lockdown drags car sales down by a whopping 87%

Covid-19 has made a massive dent in the sale of vehicles in the country’s car capital. Compared with January, when the pandemic was yet to become a part of a Delhiite’s daily lexicon, the registration of cars has dipped 87% in May. The picture is slightly better for two-wheelers — a 74% dip during the same period.

South American countries began easing Covid-19 restrictions even as the region hurtles toward its viral peak, disregarding the example set by European nations that were battered earlier by the virus, reports PTI.

Some of Brazil's hardest hit cities, including the jungle metropolis Manaus and coastal Rio de Janeiro, are starting to allow more activity. Bolivia's government authorized reopening most of the country and the government of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro unwound restrictions.

12 new Covid-19 positive cases confirmed at Zoram Medical College, reports ANI quoting Mizoram CM Zoramthanga.

Read: US records 743 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

The United States on Monday recorded 743 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, bringing its total to 105,099 since the global pandemic began.The country has officially logged 1,809,109 cases of Covid-19, the tracker set up by the Baltimore-based university showed at 8:30pm (0030 GMT Tuesday).The death toll and number of cases in the United States are by far the worst in the world.The virus has killed at least 373, 439 people around the world since it appeared in late 2019 in China, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources.

Gautam Budh Nagar: Police personnel check vehicles at Delhi-Noida border, amid vehicular movement on the route, reports ANI.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal yesterday announced that Delhi borders will be sealed for the next one week and only essential services will be exempted.

Japan allows saliva-based coronavirus tests

The Japanese Health Ministry said on Tuesday it now allow saliva-based coronavirus tests, to help boost the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.Currently, nasal swabs are mainly used for tests in Japan, and sneezes at the time of collecting samples expose medical workers to the risk of potential infection.

No evidence potency of coronavirus changing, says WHO

There is no evidence the new coronavirus has been altering either in its form of transmission or severity of the disease it causes, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert said.“In terms of transmissibility, that has not changed, in terms of severity, that has not changed,” Maria Van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, told a media briefing.“What’s important is that there are measures in place to reduce and to suppress transmission.”

China reports 5 new cases of novel coronavirus

China has reported five new cases of the coronavirus, all brought by Chinese citizens from outside the country. No new deaths were reported on Tuesday while 73 people remain in treatment for Covid-19 and 373 are under monitoring and isolation for showing signs of the virus or having tested positive for it without showing symptoms. China has recorded a total of 4,634 deaths among 83,022 cases of the disease.

Mexico tops 10,000 Covid-19 deaths, reports news agency AFP quoting government

Maharashtra’s share begins to fall in India’s Covid-19 count

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, has been driving up the country’s Covid-19 count for many weeks now. However, the state’s share of cases in the country is now dropping, trends in the last six days of May indicate. Read full story