Here are the top updates from Monday:

  1. Gujarat reported less than 100 coronavirus cases after 14 months, according to PTI. The state recorded 96 cases, taking its total number of infections since the outbreak of the pandemic in January 2020 to 8,23,340. Its toll rose by three to 10,054. Gujarat had reported 78 cases in April 14 last year and 127 infections a day after that.
  2. India reported 46,148 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of infections since the outbreak of the pandemic in January 2020 to 3,02,79,331. The country’s toll rose by 919 to 3,96,730. India’s tally of active cases stood at 5,72,994, while the number of recoveries reached 2,93,09,607.
  3. India has surpassed the United States in terms of total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the respective countries, the health ministry said. A total of 32.36 crore doses have been given in the country so far, while 32.33 crore jabs have been administered in the US. India, however, lags far behind the US in terms of population percentage that has been inoculated.
  4. Delhi reported 59 new Covid-19 cases, taking its total number of infections since the outbreak of the pandemic in January 2020 to 14,33,993. The is the lowest number of cases Delhi has reported this year. Only two deaths were reported, taking the city’s toll to 24,967.
  5. There are 48 cases of the “Delta plus” variant in 12 states of India, the Centre said, adding that the strain is very localised.
  6. The finance ministry announced a Rs 1.1 lakh crore loan guarantee scheme for sectors affected by pandemic. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced eight measures for the affected sectors, of which four pertain to new schemes.
  7. Serum Institute of India’s Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla acknowledged the problems that several Indian citizens were facing in the process of their scheduled travel to the European Union. Poonawalla said that he had taken up the matter at the “highest levels”. The Serum Institute of India manufactures the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine under the brand name Covishield.
  8. Maharashtra has seen an 8.10% increase in cases of mucormycosis or “black fungus” since June 6, NDTV reported. The state had 7,998 cases till June 6 and the number has now gone up to 8,646. Deaths due to the infection have risen by 13.58% during the same period.
  9. Pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories announced the commercial launch of oral anti-coronavirus drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose, or 2-DG. The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed the drug in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s.
  10. Globally, the coronavirus disease has infected over 18.12 crore people and killed more than 39.25 lakh since the pandemic broke out in December 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, the Delta variant of Covid-19 has prompted multiple countries to reimpose restrictions to tackle the spread of infection.