India recorded 36,011 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, taking the country’s tally to 96,44,222. The toll rose to 1,40,182 with 482 more deaths. The number of active cases stood at 4,03,248 while more than 91 lakh people have recovered from the disease in the country so far.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical company Pfizer has sought approval from India’s drug regulator, the Drugs Controller General of India, for emergency use authorisation of its coronavirus vaccine, PTI reported quoting sources. The application was reportedly submitted on December 4.

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On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an all-party meeting on India’s coronavirus situation. He said experts believed that a coronavirus vaccine could be available for roll out in the next few weeks.

“As soon as scientists give a green signal, the vaccination process will begin in India,” he said, adding that frontline healthcare workers and those with comorbidities would be given priority during the vaccination process. He said eight vaccine candidates were being manufactured in India and three were being developed indigenously. Following the all-party meet, the Congress said that the Centre has no roadmap for vaccinating the poor.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij announced on Saturday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 67-year-old leader has been admitted to the Civil Hospital in Ambala. Vij, who is also the state’s Health Minister, was one of the participants in the phase three trial of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine.

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Meanwhile, Hyderabad-based biotechnology company Bharat Biotech on Saturday issued a clarification after Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 67-year-old leader was one of the participants in the phase three trial of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine.

The company said the efficacy of its vaccine could be determined only 14 days after a second dose. “Covaxin clinical trials are based on a two-dose schedule, given 28 days apart,” it said in a statement. “The phase-3 trials are double-blinded and randomised, where 50% of subjects [participants in the trial] receive vaccine and 50% of subjects receive placebo.

The Union Health Ministry also said that Vij only took the first dose of the vaccine, according to IANS. “The antibodies against the infection build up in a human being only after a specific number of days pass after the second dose of the vaccine is taken,” it said in a statement.

Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 6.64 crore people and killed over 15.27 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. Over 4.27 crore people have recovered from the infection.

Here are other top updates from across the world

  • The United Kingdom is preparing to become the first country to roll out Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine this week, initially making the shot available at hospitals before distributing stocks to doctors’ clinics, reported Reuters. The first doses are set to be administered on Tuesday, with the National Health Service giving top priority to vaccinating those above the age of 80, frontline healthcare workers and care home staff and residents.
  • Queen Elizabeth II will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine within weeks, AFP reported on Saturday. Elizabeth, 94, and her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip are in line to get the shots early due to their age and will not receive preferential treatment.
  • Argentina on Saturday passed a new tax on its wealthiest people to pay for medical supplies and relief measures amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, reported BBC. Those with assets worth more than 200 million Argentine pesos (nearly Rs 19 crore), will have to pay a progressive rate of up to 3.5% on wealth in Argentina and up to 5.25% on that outside the country.