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The overall global coronavirus caseload has topped 182 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.94 million.

In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 30,362,848 cases as the US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 33,664,909 and 604,71, respectively.

Meanwhile, in terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 518,066 fatalities, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

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India logs 48,786 new coronavirus cases, 1,005 deaths in 24 hours

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Russia reported 672 coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, the most confirmed in a single day since the pandemic began, amid a surge in cases that authorities blame on the Delta variant.

The government coronavirus task force also confirmed 23,543 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the most since Jan. 17, including 7,597 in Moscow. That pushed the national case total to 5,538,142 since the start of the outbreak.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 892 to 3,729,033.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 892 to 3,729,033, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Thursday. The reported death toll rose by 63 to 90,938, the tally showed.

German vaccine maker CureVac says younger people could benefit from its coronavirus shot, following disappointing results two weeks ago in a broader age group.

The company said Wednesday that its vaccine is 53% effective against COVID-19 of any severity in 18- to 60-year-olds. Overall, though, CurveVac says the shot is 48% effective, based on 83 cases in the vaccine group and 145 in the placebo group.

A patient is connected to an oxygen tank in the Intensive Care Unit ward for COVID-19 patients in Kabul. AP

Australia's New South Wales state on Thursday warned that significant numbers of new coronavirus cases were being found in the community, while Indonesia is set to launch emergency measures on Friday.

Indonesia on Thursday reported 24,836 new coronavirus infections and 504 deaths, both record daily highs.

Indonesia's total cases and deaths are 2,203,108 and 58,995 respectively.

In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 182,136,238 and 3,945,551, respectively.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has berated top officials for failures in coronavirus prevention that caused a "great crisis.”

The country’s official media didn’t say what "crucial” lapses warranted Kim to call an important political meeting where he criticized his top officials. But his strong words raise the specter of a mass outbreak occurring in a country that would be scarcely able to handle it.

The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (18,557,141), France (5,837,261), Russia (5,449,594), Turkey (5,425,652), the UK (4,817,236), Argentina (4,470,374), Italy (4,259,909), Colombia (4,240,982), Spain (3,808,960), Germany (3,736,205) and Iran (3,204,557), the CSSE figures showed.