10.06 pm: The Rajasthan government announces a night curfew on December 31 in all cities with a population of over 1 lakh, PTI reports. The restrictions will remain in place from 8 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1. No New Year party will be allowed.

10.02 pm: The United Kingdom identifies a second coronavirus variant, which is linked to South Africa, The Independent reports. Two cases of the new variant have been confirmed so far. Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the strain is “highly concerning”.

9.57 pm: Karnataka on Wednesday reports 958 new cases, which take its tally to 9,12,340. The state’s toll rises by nine to 12,038.

8.30 pm: The Delhi High Court directs the Aam Aadmi party government to frame standard operating procedures to deal with post-coronavirus complications relating to the lungs and other vital organs, PTI reports.

Amid concerns about the new virus strain from UK, the court also asks the government to ensure prompt and adequate testing and follow up of patients to avoid another surge of infections in the city.

8.27 pm: Maharashtra on Wednesday registers 3,913 new cases, which take its tally to 19,06,371. The state’s toll rises by 93 to 48,969.

8.22 pm: The Karnataka government says night curfew will be imposed from 11 pm to 5 am, instead of 10 pm and 6 am announced earlier, ANI reports. The restrictions will come into effect from Thursday.

Also read: Coronavirus: Karnataka imposes night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am till January 2

8.19 pm: Delhi on Wednesday registers 871 new cases, which take its tally to 6,19,618. The Capital’s tally rises by 18 to 10,347.

8.06 pm: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reviews the status of passengers from United Kingdom who have tested positive for the coronavirus in different states, ANI reports. He also evaluates the response of the state governments.

6.33 pm: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath instructs compulsory RT-PCR test for people who came to the state from other countries after December 9, reports Prasar Bharati News Services.

6.30 pm: Pharmaceutical company Pfizer to supply US with 10 crore more Covid-19 shots by July, reports Reuters.

4.12 pm: Class 10 and 12 board exams in West Bengal to be held in June, PTI reports, quoting Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.

4.07 pm: Renowned Malayalam poet and environmental activist Sugathakumari passes away following Covid-19 complications at the Medical College Hospital in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, reported The Indian Express. She was 86.

3.37 pm: Andaman and Nicobar administration makes a negative RT-PCR test mandatory for all incoming passengers at the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, reports ANI.

1.19 pm: Odisha records 364 new cases and three new deaths on December 22, reports ANI.

1.17 pm: Jagannath Temple in Puri in Odisha reopens for devotees after remaining closed for nine months in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, reports PTI.

1.15 pm: Delhi High Court directs Aam Aadmi Party government to frame standard operating procedures to deal with post Covid-19 complications and to ensure that facilities are available to test and quarantine travellers from the United Kingdom where a new strain of coronavirus has been discovered, reports PTI.

1.11 pm: Karnataka imposes night curfew, starting on Wednesday, till January 2, reports ANI. The restrictions will stay in effect from 10 pm to 6 am.

12.15 pm: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi when will India start vaccinating its citizens against the coronavirus, noting that 23 lakh people in the world had already received a shot. “China, US, UK, Russia have started [vaccinations],” Gandhi writes on Twitter. “India ka number kab aayega Modi ji [When will India’s turn come?]”

11.58 am: The Delhi High Court directs the Arvind Kejriwal government to ensure people diagnosed with Covid-19 are adequately tested, ANI reports.

11.55 am: The Maharashtra government allows water sports, amusement parks outside containment zones, ANI reports. Tourists spots outside containment areas would also reopen.

11.53 am: The Karnataka government is set to discuss the imposition of a night curfew and the reopening of schools during the Technical Advisory Committee meeting, ANI reports.

11.35 am: The Covid positivity rate has fallen below 1% in Delhi, says Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

11.22 am: The Tamil Nadu government has granted permission for jallikattu, an ancient bull-wrestling sport, but with certain riders, ANI reports. There can only be 150 participants per event and the number of spectators must not be more than 50% of the gathering. Covid-19 negative certificates would be mandatory for all players.

The traditional sport involves a bull charging into an arena where participants attempt to encircle it and grab its hump. The participant who is able to cling on to the animal is declared the winner. While some people claim these events are matters of Tamil pride, several others oppose it citing animal cruelty and the number of people who die or are injured during these events.

11.18 am: Most Covid-related deaths in India are because patients report late to hospitals, experts have said, according to the Hindustan Times.

“The deaths are low in number and our analysis shows that most of the positive cases, who are serious, come to a hospital late; when their condition has fairly deteriorated,” says Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog. “It is important to get tested and seek medical aid in time to avoid complications.”

9.35 am: India reports 23,950 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 1,00,99,066. With 333 deaths, the toll stands at 1,46,444. As many as 96,63,382 people in the country have recovered from the infection.

9.16 am: India tested 10,98,164 samples on Tuesday, says the Indian Council of Medical Research.

9.05 am: The Delhi government says it has started tracing passengers who arrived in the national Capital from the United Kingdom since November 25, amid concern over a new mutating virus in Britain, reports the Hindustan Times. The government has also started door-to-door tracking of passengers who returned from the UK.

9 am: The Pune Police have imposed curfew in the city from Tuesday night, reports PTI. It will be in force between 11 pm to 6 am from the night of December 22 to January 5.

8.58 am: The United States’ top infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci received his coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday, reports AFP. Along with him, other senior officials and six health workers also got vaccinated against Covid-19.

“I want to encourage everyone who has the opportunity to get vaccinated so that we could have a veil of protection over this country, that would end this pandemic,” says Fauci.

8.55 am: Antarctica, which was once the only continent not to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, has reported its first new cases, reports AP. Chilean authorities have announced that 58 people who were at two military bases in Antarctica or on a navy ship that went to the continent have tested positive.

8.52 am: The WHO, in a statement released on Tuesday, says that there is not yet enough information to determine whether the new variant of the coronavirus could affect vaccine efficacy, reports Reuters. It says that research on this is underway.

8.50 am: The World Health Organization will convene a meeting of members to discuss strategies to tackle the new infectious coronavirus strain that has emerged in the United Kingdom, its European chief says. WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge, however, did not mention a date for the meeting.

A quick look at the developments from Tuesday:

  • The Centre allayed fears about a mutated variant of coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom, saying that no similar strain has been seen in India yet. NITI Aayog member (Health) VK Paul said that the new strain has no impact on the potential of emerging vaccines.
  • At least 20 passengers who arrived in India from the United Kingdom, where a new strain of coronavirus has emerged, tested positive.
  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the standard operating procedure for people coming to India from the United Kingdom, which includes mandatory RT-PCR or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests on arrival and separate isolation for those who test positive for the new variant of the coronavirus.
  • Biotechnology giant BioNTech’s co-founder Ugur Sahin said it was “highly likely” that its coronavirus vaccine would work against the mutated strain detected in the United Kingdom. He added that the vaccine could be modified, if needed, in six weeks to tackle the new strain.
  • The Mumbai Police raided a club for violating coronavirus-related safety norms in the city and filed a case against 34 people, including cricketer Suresh Raina.