Picture used for illustrative purposes only.

More than 168.73 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 3,653,063? have died, according to a Reuters tally.

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

India reported on Friday 186,364 new coronavirus infections during the previous 24 hours, for its lowest daily rise since April 14, while deaths rose by 3,660.

READ MORE

South Asia crosses 30 million COVID-19 cases as India battles second wave

Boris hits back after ex-aide alleges pandemic lies, chaos

Coalition denies presence of Emirati forces on Mayun Socotra Islands

The South Asian nation's tally of infections now stands at 27.56 million, with the death toll at 318,895, India's health ministry data show.

India's total COVID-19 case reach 27.55 mln, death toll reaches 318,895, the ministry said.

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs tonight extended till 30th June, the countrywide restrictions to contain COVID-19, ordered on 29th April following the onset of a second wave of the pandemic.

"In spite of declining trend in infections, the number of active cases presently is still very high. It is, therefore, important that containment measures may continue to be implemented strictly," India’s Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said in tonight’s order.

Russia reported 9,252 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, including 3,274 in Moscow, taking the official national tally since the pandemic began to 5,044,459.

The government coronavirus task force said 404 people had died of coronavirus-linked causes in the past 24 hours, pushing the national death toll to 120,406.

The federal statistics agency has kept a separate count and has said Russia recorded around 250,000 deaths related to COVID-19 from April 2020 to March 2021.

The Philippines reported 8,748 new coronavirus infections on Friday, its highest single-day increase this month.

Russia reported 9,252 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, including 3,274 in Moscow.

Its health ministry said areas outside the capital region, the epicentre, have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases as well as an increase in usage of healthcare facilities. Deaths rose by 187 on Friday to 20,566 overall. The Philippines has recorded 1.2 million coronavirus cases.

Japan is looking to extend a state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas by about three weeks to June 20 ahead of the Summer Olympics, while COVID-19 infections in the neighbouring South Asia region surpassed 30 million on Friday.

Britain has seen a total of nearly 7,000 cases of the B.1.617.2 coronavirus variant of concern first identified in India, more than double the previous total, Public Health England said on Thursday.

Sweden will ease some of its COVID-19 restrictions from June 1 as new cases have fallen sharply in recent weeks, the government said, as it presented a roadmap to open up society.

California will offer $116.5 million in cash and gift cards to residents who get COVID-19 vaccinations before June 15.

The United States has urged the World Health Organization to carry out a second phase of its investigation into the origins of the coronavirus.

The US Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into Eli Lilly, focused on alleged manufacturing irregularities and records tampering at a factory that produces the pharmaceutical giant's COVID-19 therapy and other drugs, three people familiar with the matter said.