You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the updates:
Kerala film festival postponed due to rise in COVID-19 cases
The 26th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has been postponed considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation, according to a press release from the office of Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian on Monday.
The festival will be conducted when the situation improves. The revised schedule will be announced later, it said.
2.5k Delhi cops infected, 767 cured of Covid since Jan 1: Police
About 2,500 Delhi Police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 since January 1 and 767 of them have recovered, an official said on Monday.
According to the latest data, since January 1, about 2,500 Delhi Police personnel from all ranks and units of the force tested positive for Covid.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Chinmoy Biswal who is also the spokesperson of Delhi Police had tested positive for the virus. He, however, has recovered and resumed work, a senior police officer said.
"Many of them are recouping well and resuming their duties on a daily basis," the officer added.
"About 2,500 personnel have tested positive for Coronavirus since January 1 till date. Out of them, 767 infected personnel of the force have recovered and resumed their work," said Biswal, Delhi Police PRO. - PTI
Pfizer CEO: COVID virus will continue to circulate for many years
The chief executive of Pfizer told French TV station BFM TV on Monday that the coronavirus will continue to circulate for many years to come, but that this current wave should be the last to have to lead to restrictions.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla also told BFM TV that the COVID vaccine was "safe and efficient" for children.- Reuters
Delhi's daily Covid cases likely to go down by 4,000-5,000 from Monday: Minister Satyendar Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said that the city is likely to witness 4,000-5,000 less COVID-19 cases than the number reported on Sunday.
He also said the vaccination drive in Delhi completed one year on Monday and a total of 2.85 crore doses have been administered so far.
Mr. Jain said that Covid cases in the city have been reducing and Monday will be the fourth straight day when the number of cases will be lesser than the cases reported on the previous day.- PTI
Nepal starts giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots
Nepal began giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots on Monday as coronavirus infections surged due to the spread of the Omicron variant, officials said.
Daily cases jumped by 4,961 on Sunday, the biggest 24-hour increase in more than six months, taking total infections to 955,206, government data showed. COVID-19-related deaths stand at 11,620, the data showed.
The booster shots will be restricted to frontline workers for one week from Monday, the Health Ministry said, after which they'll be offered to people 60 and older.- Reuters
Omicron variant found in 85 samples in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand has reported 85 new cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Genome sequencing reports of 159 COVID-19 samples confirmed the Omicron variant in 85 on Sunday, Director General, Health, Tripti Bahuguna said.
It means the new variant of the pandemic has been confirmed in 54% of the samples, she said. Genome sequencing reports of 2,096 samples are still awaited. Uttarakhand had reported eight cases of Omicron earlier.
Covid curbs, meanwhile, have been extended in Uttarakhand till January 22. Anganwadi centres and schools up to class 12 will remain closed till January 22.- PTI
Chinese cities on high COVID-19 alert as peak Lunar New Year travel season starts
Several Chinese cities went on high COVID-19 alert as the Lunar New Year holiday travel season started on Monday, requiring travellers to report their trips days before their arrival, as the Omicron variant reached more areas including Beijing.
Authorities have warned the highly contagious Omicron adds to the increased risk of COVID-19 transmission as hundreds of millions of people travel around China for the Lunar New Year holiday starting at the end of the month.
Cities such as Luoyang in the central China and Jieyang in the south said on Sunday travellers need to report to communities, employers or hotels their trips three days ahead of arrival.- Reuters
India records 2,58,089 new coronavirus cases, 385 deaths; positivity rate 19.65%
India saw a single-day rise of 2,58,089 new coronavirus infections taking the tally of cases to 3,73,80,253, which included 8,209 cases of the Omicron variant detected so far, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Monday.
A total of 8,209 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected across 29 states and union territories, out of which 3,109 have recovered or migrated.
Maharashtra recorded the maximum 1,738 cases of the Omicron variant, followed by West Bengal 1,672, Rajasthan 1,276, Delhi 549, Karnataka 548 and Kerala 536 cases.
The number of active COVID-19 cases have increased to 16,56,341, the highest in around 230 days, while the death toll has climbed to 4,86,451 with 385 daily fatalities- PTI
Manipur sees a sudden spike in number of cases
A sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 infected persons in Manipur has led to caution among the health workers. Officials said that in the last 24 hours ending at 5 p.m. on Sunday, there were 279 positive cases out of 1,938 persons tested. It is the highest number of cases in the last four months.
The positivity rate is 14.4%, while the recovery rate is 97.41%. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Manipur has gone up to 1,27,258 out of which 1,282 are active cases.
No person can be forced to get vaccinated against their wishes: Centre to Supreme Court
The Centre has told the Supreme Court that COVID-19 inoculation guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry do not envisage forcible vaccination without obtaining the consent of an individual.
On the issue of exempting persons with disabilities from producing vaccination certificates, the Centre told the apex court that it has not issued any SOP that makes it mandatory to carry the vaccination certificate for any purpose.
French parliament approves vaccine pass
France's parliament gave final approval on Sunday to the government's latest measures to tackle the COVID-19 virus, including a vaccine pass contested by anti-vaccine protestors.
Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted 215 in favour to 58 against, paving the way for the law to enter force in the coming days.
The new law, which had a rough ride through parliament with opposition parties finding some of its provisions too tough, will require people to have a certificate of vaccination to enter public places like restaurants, cafes, cinemas and long-distance trains.- Reuters
94% adults vaccinated against COVID in Rajasthan: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said COVID-19 vaccination in all categories in Rajasthan is higher than the national average.
He said so far 94 per cent of people above the age of 18 have been given first dose of the vaccine.
"Covid vaccination drive has completed one year. The percentage of Covid vaccination in all categories in the state is higher than the national average. So far, 94 per cent of people above the age of 18 have been given the first dose of the vaccine," Mr/Gehlot said in a tweet.-PTI
Congress leaders from Mysuru booked for taking part in padayatra
The city police has registered an FIR against Congress leaders from Mysuru, who participated in the recent padayatra from Mekedatu.
Hunsur MLA H.P. Manjunath, former MLAs Vasu and Kadale Keshavamurthy, former MLC R. Dharmasena, Mysuru district Congress Committee president Vijaykumar and Congress leader Srinath Babu have been named in the FIR registered by the Lashkar Police Station in Mysuru.