India on Friday recorded 40,120 cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the cumulative tally to 3,21,17,826 since the pandemic began in January last year.

The toll rose to 4,30,254 with the country reporting 585 fatalities in the past day. The number of active cases currently stands at 3,85,227, while as many as 3,13,02,345 people have recovered from the disease so far.

The country has administered a total of 52,95,82,956 Covid-19 vaccine doses till now. Of these, 57,31,574 doses were administered in the past day alone.

The United States’ Food and Drug Administration on Thursday allowed certain immunocompromised people to take an additional dose of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines. This will apply to people who have received an organ transplant or “those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise,” the FDA said.

Here are some other updates:

  • Rajasthan will allow reopening of schools for Classes 9 to 12, universities, colleges and coaching institutes from September 1, NDTV reported, citing a state government notification. Meanwhile, Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said that the decision on reopening schools is up to local officials to decide, PTI reported.
  • Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that for foreign travel, countries would have to develop an understanding based on Covid-19 vaccination certificates, instead of particular vaccines, The Indian Express reported.
  • The West Bengal government has extended coronavirus-related restrictions in the state till August 30, reported The Hindu. The government, however, relaxed the night curfew between 11 pm and 5 pm from the existing 9 pm to 5 pm.
  • Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday met World Health Organization chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan to discuss the health body’s pending approval for Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus shot, Covaxin, reported ANI. According to WHO’s latest status report on emergency use listing of vaccines, the assessment on Covaxin was “ongoing” and a date on the approval was yet “to be confirmed”.

Global updates

  • Israel lowered its eligibility criteria for a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine to those aged above 50 years, from the earlier minimum age of 60 years, Reuters reported.
  • Australia’s worst-hit city Sydney logged another record of highest daily cases on Friday as 390 infections were registered in the last 24 hours, Reuters reported. Authorities will deploy hundreds of more defence personnel to enforce the city’s lockdown.
  • Globally, Covid-19 has infected 20.54 crore people and led to 43.34 lakh deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in December 2019, according the Johns Hopkins University.