Coronavirus live updates: 97,570 cases push India's Covid tally to over 46L

A spike of 97,570 new cases & 1,201 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

In graphics: Bengaluru is most 'open'; Mumbai has maximum curbs

Read: Kochi firm gets nod to test its drug on Covid-19 patients

PNB Vesper Life Science Pvt Ltd, a Kochi-based pharmaceutical company, received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct the Phase 2b clinical trial of their propriety drug PNB-001 (GPP-Baladol) in treating Covid-19 patients. PNB 001 may be the first new chemical entity in the world for treating Covid-19 patients, the company claimed in a statement.

Read: Suspected positive patient dies five days after discharge from Tamil Nadu hospital

49-year-old K Raja Subramanian was admitted to the hospital on September 3 with fever symptoms and was treated for three days. The patient had to be readmitted to the GH on Tuesday as he again developed symptoms during his home quarantine. He was subsequently referred to Tirunelveli medical college hospital, where he died on Thursday morning.

Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech has announced that the animal trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin were successful.

It said the results demonstrated the protective efficacy of the vaccine in a live viral challenge model. "Bharat Biotech proudly announces the animal study results of COVAXIN - These results demonstrate the protective efficacy in a live viral challenge model," tweeted the Hyderabad-based firm. It said the data from the study on primates substantiate the immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate.

Read: Maharashtra’s Covid-19 count crosses 1 million, 48% jump in new cases in last fortnight

In terms of daily cases, the state, with Friday’s record single-day high of 24,886 cases, accounts for every 8th new Covid patient in the world (the global daily average is 2 lakh cases). Maharashtra is also inching close to Russia, which, with 10.5 lakh cases, is the fourth worst-hit country.

Read - Karnataka: 36 private doctors died of Covid, IMA seeks relief

They include gynaecologists, psychiatrists and general physicians who are yet to be covered by the government’s compensation scheme. IMA-Karnataka has written to the CM seeking compensation for their families.

Delhi Metro resumes its full services with the Airport Express Line reopening after a hiatus of over 170 days.

Read: Hospitals stare at bed crisis as cases pile up in Delhi

Delhi recorded more than 4,000 new cases of Covid-19 for the third consecutive day on Friday, with 4,266 people testing positive in the last 24 hours. The city recorded 4,308 and 4,039 new cases on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The total count in the capital stands at 2,09,748.

The total number of Covid cases in Mizoram stands at 1,379 including 589 active cases: State government

The gap between % of recovered cases and % of active cases progressively growing wide: Ministry of Health

Read: Top doctors call for fresh sero survey to map Covid spread

A day after an ICMR report created a stir in medical circles when it revealed that the country potentially had 6.4 million Covid infections in May, health professionals say there is a need for another national-level sero-survey to study the spread of the infection and that the result of the survey was declared too late for affirmative action.

Read: Top doctors call for fresh sero survey to map Covid spread

The result of the country’s first sero-survey, published on Thursday in the ICMR’s Indian Journal of Medical Research, also revealed that for every confirmed case there were 82-130 infections that went undetected and that the infection had spread to rural India by June. The month-long investigation took place in the midst of the lockdown.

Delhi: Indian Railways will start 40 pairs of special trains from today (ANI)

With the resumption of service on Airport Express Line today, all lines of Delhi Metro network are now open. Service will be available from 6 am to 11 PM on all lines, reports ANI quoting Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

Read: Hospitals stare at bed crisis as cases pile up in Delhi

Delhi recorded more than 4,000 new cases of Covid-19 for the third consecutive day on Friday, with 4,266 people testing positive in the last 24 hours. The city recorded 4,308 and 4,039 new cases on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The total count in the capital stands at 2,09,748.

A new report shows how kids can bring the coronavirus home from day care and then infect relatives (AP)