Coronavirus News highlights: Maharashtra reports 6,406 fresh COVID-19 cases, 65 deaths

Coronavirus in Mumbai LIVE Updates | Mumbai reports 1,147 new COVID-19 cases, 548 recoveries/discharges and 16 deaths today. Total cases here rise to 2,79,737 including 2,54,152 recoveries/discharges and 10,739 deaths. Active cases stand at 11,697.

Coronavirus in West Bengal LIVE Updates | State Health Dept: West Bengal's COVID-19 toll rises to 8,224 with 52 more fatalities; 3,507 fresh cases take tally to 4,70,498. 

Coronavirus in Africa LIVE Updates | Africa faces wait for mass COVID-19 vaccination: Disease control group

Mass vaccination against COVID-19 is unlikely to start in Africa until midway through next year and keeping vaccines cold could be a big challenge, the continent's disease control group said on Thursday.

Some European countries expect to start rolling out vaccination campaigns as early as January.

But health campaigners are worried that Africa will find itself near the back of the queue for COVID-19 vaccines after wealthier nations signed a raft of bilateral vaccine supply deals with pharmaceutical companies.

Read more here.

Coronavirus in France LIVE Updates | Pandemic weakening more in France than elsewhere in Europe, says PM Jean Castex

France has done a better job of flattening a second wave of COVID-19 infections that some of its European neighbours but it would be premature to talk about an end to the lockdown, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday.

Castex said the 'R' rate that measures the spread was now at 0.65 countrywide, the same level France reached at the end of a three-month confinement in the spring, but that citizens must not lower their guard over the festive holidays.

"Your efforts are paying dividend," Castex told a press conference. "Pressure from the epidemic is weakening and it is weakening more in France than in other European nations."

Coronavirus in Karnataka LIVE Updates | Karnataka reports 1,505 new COVID-19 cases, 1,067 recoveries, and 12 deaths, according to State Health Department. Total cases: 8,79,560; Total recoveries: 8,42,499; Total deaths: 11,726; Active cases: 25,316.

Coronavirus in Haryana LIVE Updates | Haryana reports 25 more COVID-19 deaths, 2,122 fresh cases

Haryana reported 25 more fatalities due to COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the death toll to 2,316, while 2,122 fresh cases pushed the state's infection tally to 2,26,611.

Faridabad registered five deaths, Hisar, Jhajjar and Rohtak three each, and Gurgaon, Rewari, Panchkula, Kurukshetra and Jind districts two each, according to the state health department's daily bulletin.

The state's active cases stand at 20,778, while the recovery rate is 89.81 per cent.

Cornavirus in Maharashtra LIVE Updates | Maharashtra records 6,406 fresh cases of COVID-19, 65 deaths

Maharashtra's COVID-19 case count on Thursday crossed 18 lakh to reach 18,02,365 as 6,406 new infections came to light, a health official said.

The state also reported 65 deaths, taking the death toll due to the pandemic to 46,813, he said. A total of 4,815 patients were discharged during the day, taking the tally of recovered people to 16,68,538.

With this, the number of active patients reached 85,963.

Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates | Madhya Pradesh reports 1,668 new COVID-19 cases, 1,199 discharges, and 12 deaths today, according to State Health Department. Total cases: 1,99,952; Total recoveries: 1,82,544; Active cases: 14,199; Death toll: 3,209.

Coronavirus in Gujarat LIVE Updates | State Health Dept: Gujarat reports 1,560 new COVID19 cases, 16 deaths and 1,302 recoveries. The state's case tally reaches 2,03,509 including 1,85,058 recoveries and 3922 deaths till now. Total active cases are 14,529. 

Coronavirus in England LIVE Updates | A third of England face toughest COVID curbs, London spared for now

More than 20 million people across large swathes of England will be forced to live under the toughest category of COVID-19 restrictions when a national lockdown ends on December 2, while London was placed in the "high alert" second-toughest tier.

Health minister Matt Hancock on Thursday announced final details of a regional system set to take effect when blanket restrictions on England's 55 million population end after a month-long lockdown - dictating the terms of daily life for the country's citizens and businesses.

"Hope is on the horizon but we still have further to go so we must all dig deep. The end is in sight, we mustn't give up now," Hancock told parliament, alluding to growing prospects for a vaccine against the coronavirus in the coming months.

Coronavirus in Punjab LIVE Updates | Punjab reported 845 new COVID-19 cases, 467 discharges and 26 deaths today, says Govt of Punjab. Total cases in the state rise to 1,49,278, including 1,37,089 recoveries and 4,710 deaths. Active cases stand at 7,479.