Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Nearly 15,000 New Cases in 24 Hours Push India's Tally Over 4.25 Lakh, Death Toll at 13,699; Goa Reports 1st Covid-19 Death

Over 140 New Cases Reported In Odisha | As many as 143 new positive cases were reported in Odisha in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 5,303 including 3,720 recovered and 1,562 active cases. 

UPDATE | Delhi High Court allows Sir Ganga Ram Hospital's application seeking a stay on the proceedings of the FIR against it for allegedly flouting the rules pertaining to COVID19 tests. Next date of hearing is August 11.

Arunachal Pradesh's Covid-19 Tally Rises to 139 | Four more persons were found to be positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, taking the total number of cases in the Northeastern state to 139, officials said. 

Although the potential Covid-19 drugs have been promising in early trials, medical experts have cautioned against seeing them as a ‘magic bullet’ against the deadly virus.

China Suspends Imports of Poultry from US-based Tyson Plant Over Covid-19 |  China’s customs authority said it had suspended imports of poultry products from a plant owned by US-based meat processor Tyson that has been hit by a coronavirus. The General Administration of Customs said it had decided on the suspension after the company confirmed a cluster of coronavirus cases at facilities in Arkansas where a total of 481 people tested positive for the virus.

BMC Seals Tanhee Heights of Malabar Hill | Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation has sealed one entire building named Tanhee heights , Napean sea road Malabar hill as there were total 21 cases over last seven days out of which 19 are house helps, drivers and security staff. The house helps works in different falts of buildings and there is every possibility that they may have spread the virus to the other flats as well. In order to break the chain, it was necessary to seal the entire bldg. 

Vande Bhatrat Mission Update | Under the third phase of "Vande Bhatrat" Mission, a special Air India flight with 148 Indian students onboard from Kyrgyzstan, landed at Indore Airport. District Health Department screened the passengers upon their arrival here and another batch of 148 Indian students have returned to Nagpur from Kyrgyzstan on Friday.

Fresh Cases in Germany, Tally Rises to 1,90,359 | The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 537 to 190,359, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed. The reported death toll rose by 3 to 8,885, the tally showed.

UPDATE | Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa calls an emergency meeting of concerned officials and departments, to discuss measures to control rising COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru.

Today's COVID-19 Data Highlights

- Worldwide cases cross 9 million (Worldometers)

- India's recovery rate improves from 55.5% to 55.8%

- India's cases per million population crosses 300 (now at 309)

- Difference between recoveries and active cases is now 62,808

- States reporting higher daily recoveries than active cases: Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Ladakh, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal

- Maharashtra recovery rate again dips below 50%. Now at 49.8%. It touched 50% yesterday

- 1,43,267 tests yesterday. About 47,000 fewer tests than Saturday. Total tests so far 69,50,493

Here's the state-wise breakup

India Records Nearly 15,000 New Cases in 24 Hours | India recorded 455 new deaths- highest so far in the last 24 hours and nearly 15,000 fresh cases, taking country's tally to 4,25,282. 

As the Tamil Nadu government ramped up its testing capacity, experts have criticised its strategy of conducting more tests in districts with low Covid-19 cases. The government tested 31,401 people on Sunday alone, taking the overall figures in the state to 8.92 lakh. It was the second consecutive day during which the testing of people surpassed 30,000-mark. However, experts have questioned the government's rationale of conducting more tests in areas with fewer cases. Read full story here.

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted Cipla regulatory approval for restricted emergency use in the country as part of the accelerated approval process considering the urgent and…

Spain reopens borders while easing lockdown restrictions.

VIDEO: With the reopening of the Spanish border at Le Perthus, French residents are delighted to be able to hop across the border again for goods which are taxed less in Spain compared to France pic.twitter.com/h6PkwgSrZm

— AFP news agency (@AFP) June 22, 2020

Global Stocks Try to Shake Off Second Wave Virus Fears | US stock futures erased losses and Asian stocks held flat, trying to shake off worries that rising coronavirus cases in the United States could scupper a quick economic rebound from the massive downturn triggered by the pandemic. U.S. S&P 500 futures rose 0.4%, having erased early losses of 1.05% while Japan's Nikkei also eked out gains of 0.1%, similarly recovering from early losses.

UPDATE | First Covid-19 death in Goa- 85-year-old woman loses battle with coronavirus, said Health Minister Vishwajit Rane. 

UPDATE | New Zealand now has nine active cases of Covid-19 as more people start arriving into the country from overseas. Over the last two days, the Ministry of Health has recorded several new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases recorded across the country to 1,163.

WATCH | Delhi L-G's Order on Making Institutional Isolation Compulsory for Coronavirus Patients Withdrawn

UPDATE | In Australia, more than 1 million people in the state of Victoria have been advised not to leave their suburbs by a national health committee and the state government is considering making the advice a legally enforceable restriction, reports The Guardian. 

Delhi to Transform 25 Luxury Hotels Into Covid-19 Care Centres | Amid growing concerns that there are not enough hospital beds to cope with the rising number of cases, the Delhi government has become the first in the country to requisition its hotels. Starting this week, 25 establishments will be repurposed as emergency Covid-19 care centres for patients with mild to moderate symptoms.

Israelis Celebrate Yoga Day Amid Virus Scare | Undeterred by the COVID-19-enforced curbs on social gatherings, Israelis assembled in smaller groups and observed the sixth International Yoga Day with a lot of fanfare across the country.  "Gatherings of more than twenty people are not allowed but we, the Yoga and India enthusiasts, could not keep ourselves from celebrating the International Yoga day (IYD)," Ruth, a Yoga practitioner told PTI.

Boris Johnson to Announce lockdown Easing Plans on Tuesday | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will unveil the latest easing of Britain’s coronavirus lockdown on Tuesday when he will also announce the conclusion of a review into whether a two-metre rule on social distancing should be relaxed, reports The Guardian. .

As many as 16 intervention petitions have been filed in the SC praying for the Rath Yatra be allowed to be held with strident precautions and without any devotees.

Mexico's Cases Pass 180,000-mark | In the past 24 hours, Mexico reported 5,343 new infections and 1,044 additional deaths from the coronavirus, the health ministry said, bringing the totals for the country to 180,545 cases and 21,825 deaths. The government has said the actual number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

German Police Injured as Clashes Erupt Over Virus Quarantine | Several police officers were hurt in clashes with residents of a high-rise apartment block in the German city of Goettingen who had been placed under quarantine over a coronavirus outbreak, authorities said, AFP reports.

Cases Worldwide Pass 8.9 Million-mark | There are 8,918,101 coronavirus positive cases globally, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, and 4,66,548 deaths.

The ten worst-affected countries in terms of the number of cases are as follows:

US:     2,278,373
Brazil: 1,083,341
Russia: 583,879
India:    410,461
United Kingdom: 305,803
Peru:    251,338
Spain:  246,272
Chile:   242,355
Italy:     238,499
Iran:     204,952

Favipiravir is an anti-viral drug which is currently being tested in 18 clinical trials for Covid-19 and results from two studies have shown a positive outcome.

Hundreds Test Positive at Tyson Foods Plant in Arkansas | Tyson Foods is looking into reports that China's customs agency has suspended poultry imports from a Tyson facility in the United States after coronavirus cases were confirmed among its employees.

Penalties for Sports Bodies Breaching Covid Curbs to Be Fined: Minister | Sports bodies restarting training or hosting events without prior permissions from the Sports Ministry will face penalties, the South African Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa has warned while announcing a slew of stringent stipulations to resume them.