Coronavirus LIVE updates: Six states, including Maharashtra and Punjab, account for 84.41% of 16,838 new COVID-19 cases

18 states, UTs report no COVID-19 deaths in past 24 hours: Centre

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand have reported zero COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, ANI quoted government sources as saying on Friday.

Six states account for 84.41% of new COVID-19 cases

Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi continue to report a surge in daily new COVID-19 cases, accounting for 84.41 percent of fresh cases, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

A total of 16,838 new infections have been registered in a day.

Of 113 new COVID-19 fatalities, Maharashtra reports 60 alone

The COVID-19 toll in the country increased to 1,57,548 on Friday after 113 new fatalities were registered. Of the total, 60 were reported from Maharashtra, 15 from Punjab and 14 from Kerala.

Of the total 1,57,548 COVID-19 deaths reported so far in the country, Maharashtra accounts for 52,340, followed by Tamil Nadu (12,508), Karnataka (12,350), Delhi (10,915), West Bengal (10,273), Uttar Pradesh (8,729) and Andhra Pradesh (7,171).

Nearly 22 cr COVID-19 samples tested so far: ICMR

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 21,99,40,742 COVID-19 samples have so far been tested for the novel coronavirus in the country, including 7,61,834 on Thursday. 

Japan to extend state of emergency

The Japanese government plans to extend a state of emergency to combat COVID-19 for Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures until 21 March, said economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Friday.

No fresh COVID-19 case in Arunachal Pradesh 

Arunachal Pradesh did not report any fresh COVID-19 case in the past two days, a senior health department official said on Friday. The northeastern state's coronavirus tally stood at 16,838, he said.

Arunachal Pradesh currently has two active cases, both in Tirap district, while 16,780 people have recovered from the disease and 56 died so far, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Ten staff members of Mumbai restaurant test COVID-19 positive

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across Maharashtra, ten staff members of a restaurant in Mumbai's Andheri have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday.

"Ten staff of Radha Krishna restaurant, SV Road, Andheri (West) test positive for Covid-19. All 10 shifted to BKC Jumbo Covid Centre," said the BMC.

More than 1.77 cr COVID-19 vaccine doses administered

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India has crossed 1.77 crore, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on 16 January with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated and vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) starting from 2 February.

COVID-19 recovery rate at 97.01% in India

After 13,819 more patients were cured of the novel coronavirus, the total number of recoveries in the country rose to 1,08,39,894 on Friday. This takes the national recovery rate to 97.01 percent.

India's COVID-19 toll rises over 1.57 lakh

With 113 new COVID-19 fatalities registered in a day, the toll in the country increased to 1,57,548 on Friday, said the Union health ministry.

India registers 16,838 new COVID-19 cases

India registered 16,838 fresh COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, taking the overall count to 1,11,73,761, said the Union health ministry on Friday. Of the total, there are 1,76,319 active COVID-19 cases in the country, the ministry data showed.