1. India reported 20,903 new coronavirus cases and 379 deaths on Friday. The country’s overall count rose to 6,25,544 and the toll reached 18,213. More than 3.79 lakh people have recovered from the coronavirus.
  2. Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh recorded a single-day increase in number of new coronavirus infections in the evening. While Maharashtra recorded 6,364 new coronavirus cases and 198 deaths, taking its total to 1,92,990 and the toll to 8,376, Kerala reported a jump of 211 cases, taking its tally to 4,964. Meanwhile, a total of 972 people tested positive in Uttar Pradesh. With this, the state’s count rose to 25,797.
  3. The Centre postponed the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and the Joint Entrance Exam (Main) to September due to the coronavirus crisis. The two exams, scheduled to be held in July, are conducted for admission into medical and engineering colleges across the country.
  4. The Indian Council of Medical Research directed institutes conducting clinical trials for the country’s first coronavirus vaccine candidate Covaxin to fast-track approvals, saying that it was the Centre’s top priority. The top medical body said that it aims to launch the vaccine by August 15. A second coronavirus vaccine candidate, developed by Gujarat-based pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila, also received approval for human trials.
  5. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said international flights will remain suspended in the country till July 31, adding that some services on selected routes may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. While domestic flights resumed in the country from May 25, the ban imposed on international flights is in place since March 23.
  6. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare revised its guidelines for home isolation of patients with mild symptoms. The patients can now end home isolation after 10 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for three days. The Union health ministry’s previous guidelines said patients should come out of isolation after 17 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for 10 days.
  7. The Delhi High Court said hospitals cannot make it mandatory to obtain plasma from the recovered patients, adding that treatment should not be conditional.
  8. The cabinet secretary held a high-level meeting with states and Union Territories to discuss the coronavirus situation in the country. “Coordinated efforts at all levels of government for prevention, containment and management of Covid-19 are showing good results with consistently increasing gap between recoveries and active cases,” a press release said.
  9. United States President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on China over the coronavirus pandemic. “The plague from China should have never happened,” he said. US reported around 55,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday – the highest single-day increase recorded in any country.
  10. The global coronavirus tally reached 1,08,74,146 and the toll rose to 5,21,355, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 57 lakh people across the world have recovered.