Picture used for illustrative purposes only.

More than 144.51 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 3,187,963 have died.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

India recorded the world's highest daily tally of 314,835 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday as a second wave of the pandemic raised new fears about the ability of crumbling health services to cope.

READ MORE

India records world's biggest single-day rise in coronavirus cases

Pfizer confirms fake vaccine shots on sale in Mexico Poland

Health officials across northern and western India including the capital, New Delhi, said they were in crisis, with most hospitals full and running out of oxygen.

Russia reported 8,996 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, including 2,704 in Moscow, taking the national tally to 4,736,121 since the pandemic began, according to a Reuters tally.

Russia reported 8,996 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday.

The government coronavirus taskforce also confirmed the deaths of 397 people in the last 24 hours, pushing its national death toll to 107,103. The federal statistics agency has kept a separate count and reported a toll of more than 225,000 from April 2020 to February.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 29,518 to 3,217,710, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Thursday. The reported death toll rose by 259 to 80,893, the tally showed.

 A US plant that was making JNJ's vaccine must fix a long list of problems including peeling paint, shoddy cleanups and poorly-trained staff to resume operation, according to a highly critical report by the Food and Drug Administration.

US President Joe Biden announced tax credits for certain businesses that pay employees who take time off to get vaccines.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 29,518 to 3,217,710.

The US State Department has added at least 116 countries this week to its "Level Four: Do Not Travel" advisory list.

Argentina's COVID-19 deaths hit 60,000 amid a sharp second wave, while India battled a nationwide shortage of oxygen and a surge in infections, with at least 24 patients dying on Wednesday when the oxygen supply to their ventilators ran out.

European countries prepared to start using Johnson & Johnson's vaccine and speed up their vaccination campaigns after Europe's drug regulator backed the shot and deliveries started trickling in after a week-long pause.

Sweden warned of new and tougher steps if people chose to ignore existing restrictions.

Police clashed with protesters in Berlin as they tried to disperse a rally against the lockdown, as parliament approved a law to give Chancellor Angela Merkel's government more powers to fight a third wave.

Poland will reopen hair salons and let some children return to schools in 11 of its 16 regions from April 26, as daily case numbers start to fall.

Domestic travel restrictions in France are expected to be lifted on May 3.