Coronavirus: Latest updates on COVID-19 crisis around the world

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Thursday. 4:52 p.m.

WHO urges southeast Asia region members to bolster essential health services hit by COVID-19. UP records highest single-day spike of 4,586 COVID-19 cases and 61 deaths.

4:49 p.m. Veteran CPI(M) leader Shyamal Chakraborty, who was diagnosed with COVID-19, died at a hospital in Kolkata.

4:45 p.m. Eight products to mitigate COVID-19 launched by Karnataka DCM.

4:33 p.m. At least 44 more people, including 14 BSF personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya, raising the tally in the state to 983, officials say.

3:58 p.m. No benefit of plasma therapy in reducing COVID-19 mortality risk, says AIIMS trial interim analysis.

3:49 p.m. UP CM Yogi Adityanath asks officials to intensify fight against COVID-19.

3:45 p.m. Two police personnel die of COVID-19 in Nagpur.

3:20 p.m. As many as 157 people tested positive for coronavirus in Indore in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the district to 8,014.

3:18 p.m. Singapore government says it is working closely with partners to enhance mental health programmes for migrants. 2:55 p.m.

Glenmark says it will launch higher strength of oral antiviral drug FabiFlu. 2:53 p.m.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday defended the easy liquidity stance of the central bank, asserting that the private sector entities have benefitted out of the policy. 2:43 p.m.

Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja has tested positive for COVID-19. 2:39 p.m.

Adani Power says its consolidated net loss widened to Rs 682.46 crore in the June quarter, mainly due to lower revenues on account of low power demand during the lockdown. IMA suggests setting up of 250-bed COVID-19 treatment facility at GMCH.

2:30 p.m. Centre releases Rs 890 crores as second tranche of package for COVID-19 health system preparedness.

2:20 p.m. Alcoholism drug may help in fight against COVID-19, study says.

1:28 p.m. Taste bud cells might not be coronavirus target, study says.

1:27 p.m. Meghalaya completes over 1,300 km roads under PMGSY despite COVID-19 crisis.

1:16 p.m. Protracted spread of COVID-19 poses downside risk to economy, RBI says.

1:00 p.m. COVID-hit private bus operators demand relief from Delhi government.

12:51 p.m. Five more people succumbed to COVID-19 in Puducherry, taking the death toll in the union territory to 70.

12:40 p.m. Odisha's COVID-19 tally rises to 40,717 with record 1,699 cases as death toll mounts to 235.

12:35 p.m. Rajasthan reports eight deaths due to COVID-19 and 539 new cases of the virus.

Telangana reports 2,092 new COVID-19 cases and 13 more deaths as toll rises to 589. 12:28 p.m.

As many as 65 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Arunachal Pradesh as state's tally to 1,855. 12:10 p.m.

Telangana government decides to conduct 40k COVID-19 tests daily 11:38 a.m. Moderna vaccine candidate protects mice from COVID-19, study says.

11:10 a.m. India saw a single day increase of 56,282 COVID-19 cases taking the country's virus tally to 19,64,536.

11:08 a.m. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik condoles deaths in Ahmedabad hospital fire.

11:05 a.m. Scientists map body-wide production of protein with "important role" in COVID-19.

10:20 a.m. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is set to engage in severe cost-cutting measures as it stares at a potential deficit of 182m pound in the current financial year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media report.

9:52 a.m. Thirty-three people, including 29 security personnel, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram in the last 24 hours, taking the state's tally to 537, officials say.

9:35 a.m. The six franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) have urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to revise the financial and ownership model of the tournament, arguing it is causing losses to them but benefitting the PCB.

9:14 a.m. Ahmedabad COVID-19 hospital fire leaves eight patients dead.

PM Narendra Modi expresses grief at loss of lives in Ahmedabad hospital fire 8:57 a.m. The counting of votes in Sri Lanka's twice-postponed parliamentary election begins with the powerful Rajapaksa family-run Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) saying it is confident of recording a "historic victory" by securing a two-thirds majority.

8:53 a.m. The world has seen China become "more aggressive" during the COVID-19 pandemic, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said, asserting that the country has deployed troops along the Line of Actual Control with India and is acting out in a way that is "inconsistent" with international norms.

8:12 a.m. New drug RLF-100, also known as aviptadil, shows dramatic results for critical COVID-19 patients.

7:37 a.m. Facebook deletes US President Trump's post claiming children are 'almost immune' to COVID-19.