(Eds: Updates with latest news)
New Delhi, Dec 16 (PTI) Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Wednesday.
3:01 p.m.
Former Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh Wednesday wrote to the Chief Justice of India S A Bobde seeking necessary infrastructure to ensure the open court hearing in the apex court.
2:13 p.m.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which they discussed the vast potential of the India-UK partnership in the post-COVID and post-Brexit world.
2:05 p.m.
The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) on Wednesday said it along with Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) has tied up with Google India to bridge the digital skills gap in the country's auto dealerships and build their capacity in this critical growth driver.
1:55 p.m.
Retirement fund body EPFO has settled 52 lakh COVID-19 non-refundable advance claims, and disbursed Rs 13,300 crore so far, Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said on Wednesday.
1:20 p.m.
All personnel of Arunachal Pradesh Police who had tested positive for COVID-19, have completely recovered now, a top official has said.
12:43 p.m.
Puducherry logged 32 more cases of coronavirus on Wednesday raising the total infection count to 37,582, a government official said.
12:37 p.m.
Pakistan reports record number of 105 COVID-19 deaths in single day.
12:15 p.m.
Actor Varun Dhawan has tested negative for COVID-19 and is currently gearing up to resume shooting for "Jug Jugg Jeeyo".
12:01 p.m.
Nearly a quarter of the world's population may not have access to a COVID-19 vaccine until at least 2022, according to a study published in The BMJ on Wednesday which warns that vaccines will be as challenging to deliver as they were to develop.
11:44 a.m.
At least 17 more people, including four security personnel, tested positive for COVID- 19 in Arunachal Pradesh, pushing the tally in the state to 16,553, a health department official said on Wednesday.
11:32 a.m.
Superstar Tom Cruise took certain crew members of "Mission: Impossible 7" to task after he saw them breaking COVID-19 guidelines on the film's set in London.
10:45 a.m.
The development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine in such a short span of time is a "miracle", the White House has said, slamming a section of the US media for deriding President Donald Trump for promising Americans that the vaccine would be available by the end of this year.
10:41 a.m.
Fast walking in narrow spaces behind a group of people can significantly increase COVID-19 transmission risk, especially in children, according to a study which says virus-laden respiratory droplets can trail behind infected individuals moving through such corridors.
10:38 a.m.
US President Donald Trump is "absolutely open" to taking the coronavirus vaccine but his priority is frontline workers and the most vulnerable, the White House has said.
The total coronavirus infection tally in India mounted to 99,32,547, while the death toll rose to 1,44,096 with 387 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
10:15 a.m.
Counting of votes polled in the crucial local body elections began on Wednesday morning with the traditional political fronts-CPI (M)-led LDF, Congress-headed UDF and BJP-NDA- keeping their fingers crossed as its result is generally seen as pointer to the upcoming Assembly election.
10:10 a.m.
Thane district of Maharashtra has added 323 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total count of infections here to 2,36,879, an official said on Wednesday. PTI VIS
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