World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said the global health body’s stand on establishing the origin of the coronavirus was clear. “We need to know the origin of this virus because it can help us to prevent future outbreaks,” he added.

Drug manufacturer Moderna said it planned to apply for emergency use authorisation of its Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, on the basis of the complete results of a late-stage study that showed 94.1% effectiveness. Earlier in the day, India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the Centre planned to vaccinate 25 to 30 crore people in India by August next year.

India’s coronavirus count rose to 94,31,692 on Monday morning as it reported 38,772 new cases in 24 hours. The toll rose by 443 to 1,37,139. The country’s active cases stood at 4,46,952, while the recoveries reached 88,47,600.

The coronavirus has infected more than 6.26 crore people globally and killed over 14.58 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. Over 4 crore people have recovered from the infection.

The national helpline number for the coronavirus is 011-23978046, and a toll-free number is 1075.

Here are the day’s updates:

10.42 pm: Jharkhand registers 167 new coronavirus cases, 288 recoveries and one death, reports ANI. The total number of cases rises to 1,09,151, including 1,06,171 recoveries, and 964 deaths.

10.33 pm: World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the global health body’s stand on establishing the origin of the coronavirus is clear. “We need to know the origin of this virus because it can help us to prevent future outbreaks,” he adds. “Our position is very clear that we will start the study from Wuhan, know what has happened there and based on findings, to explore if there are other avenues.”

10.29 pm: A large scale study, with more than 1,00,000 participants, shows that the number of Covid-19 infections has fallen by 30%, reports Reuters.

10.27 pm: Delhi reports 3,726 new cases, 5,824 recoveries, and 108 deaths, reports ANI, citing a health department bulletin. The overall number of cases stands at 5,70,374, and the toll is 9,174. There are 32,885 active cases in the Capital.

9.31 pm: Madhya Pradesh reports 1,383 new Covid-19 cases, taking its infection count to 2,06,128, reports PTI. The toll rises by 10 to 3,260.

9.28 pm: Surat reports 266 Covid-19 cases on Monday, the second highest for any district in Gujarat after Ahmedabad, taking the city’s tally to 42,466, reports PTI. The toll rises to 1,070 after two more patients died in 24 hours.

In Ahmedabad, meanwhile, cases crossed the 50,000-mark, after 312 new infections were reported in a day, while 13 deaths took the toll to 2,060.

9.26 pm: West Bengal records 2,671 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the state’s overall count to 4,83,484, reports ANI. The toll rises by 48 to 8,424.

9.22 pm: Karnataka reports 998 new Covid-19 cases and 13 related fatalities on Monday, taking the total number of infections to 8,84,897 and the toll to 11,778, PTI reports.

9.00 pm: The Odisha government orders all academic institutions, except medical colleges, to remain closed till December 31, ANI reports. It also continues the ban on large social and religious gatherings till the end of December.

8.57 pm: Mumbai registers 646 new cases on Monday, which take its tally to 2,83,460. Nineteen more deaths push the city’s toll to 10,810.

7.15 pm: In Uttarakhand, the number of coronavirus cases rises to 74,795, after 455 new infections were reported on Monday, reports ANI. The toll rises by nine to 1,231.

7.12 pm: Maharashtra registers 3,837 coronavirus cases on Monday, pushing the state’s tally of infections to 18,23,896, reports ANI. The toll rises to 47,151, after 80 new deaths were reported in 24 hours.

7.11 pm: Manipur registers 135 new Covid-19 cases and eight deaths on Monday, pushing the state’s tally to 24,045, and the toll to 281, reports ANI.

7.06 pm: Kerala’s tally of coronavirus cases crosses the six-lakh mark, with 3,382 new infections reported in 24 hours, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan says, according to PTI. The toll mounted to 2,244 with 21 more deaths.

7.00 pm: The Gautam Buddh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh records 100 new coronavirus cases on Monday, pushing its tally to 22,697, reports PTI. The toll rises to 83 with one more death recorded in 24 hours.

6.59 pm: Rajasthan’s tally of coronavirus cases climbs to 2,68,063, after 2,677 new infections were reported in 24 hours on Monday, reports ANI. The toll rises by 20 to 2,312.

6.57 pm: Tamil Nadu registers 1,410 coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the state’s tally to 7,81,915, reports ANI. The toll rises to 11,712, after nine more deaths were reported in 24 hours.

4.36 pm: The Delhi government has capped the price of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR tests by private laboratories at Rs 800, reports ANI.

3.37 pm: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says Centre has plans to vaccinate 25-30 crore people in India by July-August, reports ANI.

2.30 pm: PM Modi to hold virtual meeting with floor leaders of all political parties on December 4 on the Covid-19 situation in the country, PTI reports quoting sources.

1.32 pm: The Mumbai civic body has decided to provide free masks to those found without one in public but fine them Rs 200, reports PTI.

1.21 pm: Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asks chief secretaries of states and Union Terriroties to ensure that hospitals adhere to fire safety norms, reports ANI.

1.19 pm: Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claims the Covid-19 situation in the state is under control, reports PTI. He adds that the state government has decided to reopen the hostels of colleges and universities for final-year students and for Class 10 and 12 residential students from December 15.

Sarma says the elementary schools will reopen in January. “Classes from nursery to six will begin from January one and a detailed Standard Operating Procedure will be issued later,” he adds.

1.15 pm: Narendra Modi held virtual meetings with three teams working on developing and manufacturing a vaccine, says the Prime Minister’s Office. These teams are from Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd in Pune, Biological E Ltd in Hyderabad and Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd, Hyderabad.

12.12 pm: Doctors suggest conducting Covid-19 tests for agitating farmers to contain the spread of virus.

12.10 pm: Puducherry adds 33 new cases to its tally. The recovery rate stands at 97.11%, according to PTI.

12.08 pm: Odisha’s tally rises to 3,18,725 with 418 new cases in the last 24 hours.

12.07 pm: Arvind Kejriwal says he has directed to slash that the rates of RT-PCR tests in Delhi.

11.02 am: Tamil Nadu extends Covid-19 related restrictions till December 30, reports ANI. State government also allows gatherings with 50% capacity of the facility, or up to 200 people.

11 am: Uttarakhand reduces number of people allowed in gatherings in closed spaces to 100, from 200, reports ANI.

10.57 am: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai released from hospital, following his treatment for Covid-19, reports the Hindustan Times.

10.05 am: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Kiran Maheshwari dies at a hospital in Gurugram from the coronavirus, reports PTI. She was 59 years old. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state Assembly Speaker CP Joshi and BJP state president Satish Poonia also expressed their condolences.

10 am: United States scientist Anthony Fauci says the country should expect a “surge upon a surge” in Covid-19 cases as millions of travelers return home after the Thanksgiving holiday, reports AFP.

9.55 am: A Singaporean woman, who was infected with the coronavirus in March when she was pregnant, has given birth to a baby with antibodies against the virus, according to Reuters. The child was born without the infection but has antibodies.

9.50 am: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city will reopen its school system to in-person learning and increase the number of days a week many children attend class, reports AP.

9.45 am: The health ministry says nearly 71% of deaths on Sunday came from eight states and Union territories, reports PTI. Delhi reports the highest number of deaths with 89 fatalities, followed by Maharashtra with 88 and West Bengal with 52.

9.40 am: The Rajasthan government imposes night curfew from 8 pm to 6 am within urban districts of 13 district headquarter towns from December 1 to 31, according to ANI. These districts are Bhilwara, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Kota, Pali, Jaipur, Sikar, Bikaner, Udaipur, Alwar, Nagore, Tonk and Ganganagar.

9.35 am: The Uttarakhand government limits the number of guests allowed at weddings to 100 from 200 as cases surge in the state, reports the Hindustan Times.

9.30 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with three teams – Gennova Biopharma, Biological E and Dr Reddy’s – involved in developing a Covid-19 vaccine later in the day, his office says.

9.20 am: India reports 38,772 fresh coronavirus infections, pushing the toll in the country to 94,31,692. The toll climbs to 1,37,139 with 443 new fatalities. There are 88,47,600 recoveries and 4,46,952 active cases.

Here are the top updates from Sunday

  1. India recorded 41,810 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, taking the country’s tally to 93,92,919. The toll rose to 1,36,696 with 496 more deaths, while the number of active cases stood at 4,53,956. So far, 88,02,267 people have recovered from the disease in the country.
  2. The Serum Institute of India filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against a Chennai-based volunteer who took part in the coronavirus vaccine trial and alleged that it triggered an adverse reaction, including neurological impairment.
  3. Indian Council of Medical Research chief professor Balram Bhargava said that the health precautions related to the fight against the coronavirus will remain, and people will have to keep wearing masks even after a vaccine is available.
  4. The Indian Council of Medical Research said that it has tested 13,95,03,803 Covid-19 samples so far, including 12,83,449 on Saturday.