Coronavirus India Latest Update Live: India reports 36,571 new Covid-19 cases, 540 deaths; Active cases drop to 363,605, lowest in 150 days

Bangladesh is suffering through its deadliest surge of the pandemic, but you wouldn't know it looking at its factories, markets and malls. The South Asian nation home to 165 million people has done away with most virus restrictions, allowing businesses to reopen to enthusiastic crowds following weeks of strict measures put in place following the arrival of the highly contagious delta variant. The move at a time when deaths and new infections are still rising and vaccination rates remain low has alarmed health experts, who warn that the country can't handle more cases when the health care system is already overwhelmed. But those in favor of reopening say the risks of staying closed are even greater, including pushing tens of millions of people back into poverty in what was already one of the world's poorest nations. Ending the lockdown kicked off earlier this month with the reopening of the country's prized garment factories after a two week closure. Then last week most other businesses, as well as public transportation, were also allowed to start operating after being closed for nearly five of the previous six weeks. From Thursday, tourist spots, resorts and hotels could also open. (AP)

Three senators said on Thursday they have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, a high-profile collection of breakthrough cases that comes as the highly infectious delta variant spreads rapidly across the US. Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., all said they have tested positive for the virus. Almost every member of the Senate spent long hours together on the chamber's floor last week in an all-night session  of budget votes before leaving town for August recess.  King said he began feeling feverish Wednesday and took a COVID test at his doctor's suggestion. "While I am not feeling great, I'm definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine," King said. Wicker's office said he tested positive for the virus Thursday morning. (AP)

Sydney's lockdown was extended throughout September on Friday and tougher pandemic restrictions were imposed, including a curfew and compulsory mask wearing outdoors. New South Wales state reported 642 locally acquired COVID-19 infections in the latest 24-hour period, the fourth consecutive day of tallies exceeding 600. Australia's largest city has been locked down since June 26, 10 days after the delta variant was first detected in an unvaccinated limousine driver who became infected while transporting a U.S. cargo aircrew from Sydney Airport. Since then, 65 people have died from coronavirus in New South Wales, included four overnight. The Sydney lockdown was to end on Aug. 28, but the state government announced it will continue until Sept. 30. (AP)

More than 3,000 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards have been confiscated at cargo freight facilities at the Anchorage airport as they were being shipped from China, officials said Thursday. Officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized the cards in the past week as they arrived in small packages, said Jaime Ruiz, an agency spokesperson. There were between 135 and 150 packages found in Anchorage, all sent by the same person in China, Ruiz said. The packages contained small amounts of the fake cards, about 20 or 25 each. The cards confiscated in Anchorage closely resemble the authentic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention certificates given out by health care workers when U.S. citizens receive their vaccinations, the agency said. However, this shipment had cards that exhibited low-quality printing. The seizure comes as a cottage industry for counterfeit cards has sprung up online to accommodate people who say they won't get vaccinated for either personal or religious reasons.  (AP)

South Korea's daily increase in coronavirus infections exceeded 2,000 for the second straight day as officials extended the highest level of social distancing restrictions short of a lockdown in large population centers. The 2,052 new cases reported on Friday marked the 45th consecutive day of over 1,000 and brought the country's caseload to 232,859, including 2,197 deaths. The viral spread, driven by increased travel and the highly contagious delta variant, is a worrisome development in a country where a slow vaccine rollout has left more than half of the population still waiting for a first shot. (AP)

Much of Japan kicked in its government 'state of emergency' to curb COVID-19 infections Friday, as well as a less stringent 'quasi-emergency,' although worries remained about their effectiveness. Those requiring hospitalization grew to more than 168,000 people, and complaints have surfaced about hospitals turning patients away. The emergency, which lasts through Sept. 12, requests restaurants and bars to close at 8 p.m. and not serve alcohol, and shopping malls to limit crowd size. New daily COVID-19 cases totaled 25,146 people nationwide, averaging 20,307 a day this week, up from 14,729 last week, the Health Ministry said. (AP)

Anyone who wants to eat, drink or exercise indoors in San Francisco must show they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 when one of the nation's most stringent restrictions on unvaccinated people takes effect. Restaurant and bar owners said they've contacted people who reserved tables to remind them of the new rule that begins Friday, and planned to have extra staff at the front door to verify people's proof of vaccination and make sure they match their identity cards. "There's definitely some anxiety around how it's all going to work," said Pete Sittnick, a managing partner of Waterbar and EPIC Steak restaurants on the city's waterfront. He anticipates a slowdown in checking in diners, possible pushback from guests who disagree with the requirement and awkward scenarios where someone shows up without proper documentation. (AP)

U.S. health officials are reviewing reports on the Moderna Inc COVID-19 vaccine being linked to a higher risk of a rare heart condition called myocarditis in younger adults, the Washington Post reported late on Thursday. The investigation is focusing on Canadian data that suggests the Moderna vaccine may carry a higher risk for young people than the Pfizer-BioNTech  vaccine, especially for males below the age of 30 or so, the report added, citing sources. "We have not come to a conclusion on this," the newspaper quoted one source as saying. "The data are not slam bang."Moderna and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. (Reuters)

With the addition of 224 coronavirus positive cases in a single day, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra mounted to 5,48,993, an official said on Friday. These cases were reported on Thursday, he said. As the virus claimed the lives of six persons, the death toll in the district rose to 11,219. Thane's COVID-19 mortality rate is 2.04 per cent at present, he added. (PTI)

COVID19 | India registers 36,571 new cases in the last 24 hours; Active caseload stands at 3,63,605; lowest in 150 days. Recovery rate increases to 97.54%: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (ANI)