New COVID strain LIVE Updates: 5 passengers, crew members from UK test positive for COVID-19

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Global stocks dip as new COVID-19 strain darkens recovery prospects

Asian shares widened losses on Tuesday, extending a pullback from multi-year highs hit last week on fears a highly infectious new strain of COVID-19 that hit Britain could lead to a slower global economic recovery. Sentiment continue to sour with FTSE futures down 0.14% and E-mini futures for the S&P 500 index off 0.29%, even as the U.S. Congress on Monday approved a long-awaited $892 billion coronavirus aid package. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was 1.21% lower. Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.77% in the afternoon session, touching its lowest levels in two weeks, as investors took profit from stellar gains over the past couple of months. (Reuters)

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Five out of 266 passengers and crew members of a flight, which arrived at Delhi airport from London last night, have tested positive for COVID-19. Their samples have been sent to NCDC for research and they have been sent to care centre: Nodal officer for COVID-19 (ANI)

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | India records lowest daily new cases after gap of nearly six months

The number of daily new coronavirus infections reported in the country was recorded below 20,000 after nearly six months while the COVID-19 active caseload fell below 3 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated today. India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,00,75,116 with 19,556 new infections being reported in a day. The death toll increased to 1,46,111 with 301 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 96,36,487 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.65 percent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 percent.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Amid the growing COVID-19 cases and emerging new coronavirus strain, the vaccine against COVID-19 promises a return to normal in the not-so-distant future. For people aged 16 years and above, the vaccine shot has been developed. While the elderly are a high-risk group and on the list of people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after health care workers and frontline staff, what about the youngest members of society – children? Vaccine manufacturers in the race to develop the vaccine against the contagion believe that progress on paediatric versions is not far behind.

Read more | COVID-19 vaccine for children: Clinical trials may begin in India by mid-2021, says report

Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates | The central government may soon sign a purchase agreement with Serum Institute of India (SII) for 5 crore doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, CNBC-TV18 reported. The government may approve the vaccine within a day or two, after the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the news channel reported on December 21. British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have developed a COVID-19 vaccine, which SII will manufacture in India.

Read more | Centre likely to buy 5 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Serum Institute

Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN: Total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have risen to 1,00,75,116, according to the latest update by from the Union Health Ministry. This number includes cases involving foreign nationals, patients who have recovered and the death toll.

Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN: As many as 96,36,487 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far, the Union Health Ministry has said in its latest update.

Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN: The reported active COVID-19 cases in India stand at 2,92,518, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN: The death toll in India due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has risen to 1,46,111, the Union Health Ministry has said.

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 16,31,70,557 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to December 21 with 10,72,228 samples being tested on Monday.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | The pandemic outbreak has disrupted our approach to life and the way we work. It has also hit the business cycle globally, leading to massive slowdown. However, as appalling as the crisis is at this moment, we are also anticipating a huge turnaround across economies. Though people across nations have massively adapted and experienced remote working during the lockdown, as soon as the situation normalises, companies would lay more emphasis on cost optimization and prefer flexible workspaces, rather than traditional office spaces. Most corporates would avoid capital expenditures and look forward to co-working facilities, to accelerate its adoption rate and expansion in the coming time.

Read more | How coworking will fare up in post-COVID era: Strategies and prospects in the new normal

Coronavirus in Australia LIVE Updates | Australian COVID-19 cluster slows to five-day low

Australia's most populous state today reported its lowest one-day rise in new COVID-19 cases in nearly a week, fuelling optimism that contact tracing and social distancing were working to bring a dangerous new outbreak in Sydney under control. New South Wales (NSW) reported eight new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, down on 15 reported one day earlier. Seven of the new cases were traced to a cluster in Sydney's northern beachside suburbs, officials said. (Reuters)