1. India recorded 64,553 new coronavirus cases on Friday, taking its tally to 24,61,190. The toll rose by 1,007 to 48,040. More than 17 lakh people in India have recovered from the infection. The Union health ministry put India’s coronavirus recovery rate at 71.17%. The death rate fell to 1.95%.
  2. Maharashtra recorded 12,608 new coronavirus cases and 364 deaths in a day. The state’s tally rose to 5,72,734 and the toll reached 19,427. More than 4 lakh people in Maharashtra have recovered from the infection.
  3. Twenty-two officials involved in the rescue and relief operations after last week’s Air India Express crash in Kerala tested positive for the coronavirus. They had met Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The Kerala chief minister’s office said that he will go into isolation as a precaution.
  4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah tested negative for the coronavirus. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit also recovered from the infection.
  5. Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said that the state may report 10,000 to 20,000 coronavirus cases per day in August and September if more people don’t join the fight against the worsening health crisis.
  6. The health of veteran playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, who tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this month, is deteriorating, MGM Healthcare in Chennai said.
  7. President Ram Nath Kovind, in his speech on the eve of India’s Independence Day, said that the country is indebted to doctors, nurses and other health workers who are at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus crisis.
  8. A coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by China National Pharmaceutical appeared to be safe and triggered immune responses in early and mid-stage trials. The firm is testing the vaccine in the United Arab Emirates.
  9. Vietnam signed up to buy 50-150 million [50 lakh to 15 crore] doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Russia.
  10. The global coronavirus tally crossed 2.9 crore while the toll rose to 7,60,371, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.3 crore people across the world have recovered from the infection.