Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: Gujarat reports no COVID-19 death for 12th day in row, logs 21 new cases

Coronavirus in Australia LIVE Updates | COVID-19 cases surge in Sydney, police cordon off downtown to prevent rally

New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, reported 210 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 today, as police cordoned off downtown Sydney with multiple checkpoints to prevent a planned anti-lockdown protest. Sydney and its vicinities have been under a weeks-long strict lockdown that is to last at least until the end of August while battling an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant. Saturday's numbers bring the outbreak to 3,190 cases. About 1,000 police officers have been deployed around Sydney to prevent an unauthorised demonstration against the lockdown and the police have been issuing prohibition notices to taxi and rideshare services banning them from taking passengers to demonstrations, the NSW police said. Protests last weekend resulted in a series of arrests and clashes with police. (Reuters)

Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates | Obstetrician groups recommend COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy

Two leading obstetricians groups have recommended COVID-19 shots for all pregnant women, citing concerns over rising cases and low vaccination rates. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine said vaccinations in tens of thousands of pregnant women over the past several months have shown the shots are safe and effective during pregnancy. COVID-19 during pregnancy increases risks for severe complications and can also increase chances for preterm birth. US government data show only about 16 percent of pregnant women have received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The two groups had previously said pregnant people shouldnt be excluded from vaccination but stopped short of endorsing the shots. (AP)

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Tokyo Olympics organisers report 21 new Games-related COVID-19 cases

Tokyo Olympics organisers has reported 21 new Games-related COVID-19 cases. No athletes made up the latest cases. The latest daily coronavirus infections have brought the total Games-linked number since July 1 to 241. (PTI)

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin tasks authorities to strictly enforce COVID-19 norms as fresh cases rise

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has asked local authorities and police officials to strictly enforce COVID-19 guidelines and said they could themselves decide on shutting down specific areas in case of continuous overcrowding. The state reported a surge in new infections yesterday with 1,947 people contracting the contagion and pushing the tally to 25,57,611 till date, said the Health Department. Deaths mounted to 34,050 with 27 succumbing to the novel coronavirus. As many as 2,193 people were discharged aggregating to 25,02,627 till date, leaving 20,934 active cases. (PTI)

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | No COVID-19 death in Gujarat for 12th day; 21 test positive

Gujarat added 21 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, taking the tally to 8,24,850, while no fresh death due to the infection was reported in the state, said the Health Department. This was the 12th straight day when no death due to coronavirus was reported in the state and the toll remained unchanged at 10,076. A release by the Health Department said 29 patients were discharged from hospitals during the last 24 hours, pushing the tally of recoveries to 8,14,514.Gujarat's COVID-19 recovery rate is 98.75 percent, the release said, adding the state now has 260 active cases, of which five patients are on ventilators. (PTI)

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Assam reports 1,179 new COVID-19 cases, 20 fresh fatalities

Assam reported 20 fresh fatalities due to COVID-19 yesterday, while 1,179 more people tested positive, pushing the total number of infections to 5,65,209, the National Health Mission (NHM) said. Of the fresh fatalities, three each were reported from Barpeta and Jorhat, two each in Biswanath, Chirang, Kamrup Metropolitan, and Tinsukia, and one each in Baksa, Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Kamrup, and Nagaon districts. The COVID-19 death toll in Assam is now 5,241. NHM said 1,347 more COVID-19 patients have died till now, but the government's Death Audit Board has not included them in the tally of deaths caused by the COVID-19 virus as they had other ailments too. (PTI)

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The COVID-19 outbreak has spread in most of the countries and territories across the world, infecting over 19.72 crore people.

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