India reports over 360,000 new COVID-19 cases

India reported over 360,000 daily infections when the country is battered by a second wave of the pandemic, reported Xinhua.

A total of 368,147 new COVID-19 cases were reported in India in the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 19,925,604, according to the health ministry. Besides, 3,417 more deaths were recorded since Sunday morning, bringing the death toll to 218,949.

Special Assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan said Monday that the local production of China's single-dose CanSino COVID-19 vaccine is about to commence in the country to facilitate its vaccination drive.

Malaysia reported 2,500 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said, bringing the national total to 417,512. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that four of the new cases are imported and 2,496 local transmissions.

The Sri Lankan government has asked all operating airlines to bring in a maximum of 75 passengers from one flight into the island country following a sharp rise in the number of new COVID-19 patients, local media reported.

All international airlines were informed of the government's decision over the weekend and this will come into effect from Monday, a statement from the government said.

Cambodia reported 841 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the national tally to 15,361, the Ministry of Health said.

Cambodia has been enduring the third wave of COVID-19 community transmission since Feb. 20. In a bid to flatten the infection curve, the country has imposed a lockdown in Phnom Penh and adjacent Ta Khmau city in Kandal from April 15 to May 5, and in the coastal city of Preah Sihanouk from April 23 to May 6.

The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 7,255 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,062,225. The death toll climbed to 17,525 after 94 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

The Maldives' Health Protection Agency (HPA) has banned non-essential travel between islands and atolls in a bid to curb a new surge in COVID-19 infections, local media reported.

Non-essential travel between islands and atolls will be banned starting Tuesday, according to a circular signed by Director General of Public Health Maimoona Aboobakuru on Sunday. The ban does not apply to trips between Male, Villimale, Hulhumale, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu.

According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), Fiji's vaccination program kicked off on Monday in Lautoka and Nadi, and will continue until Friday.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) will launch a national vaccine rollout on Tuesday to combat rising cases of COVID-19.

Police Commissioner and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response David Manning said most of PNG's 22 provinces would have received their share of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and done their training in preparation for the national rollout scheduled for Wednesday.

The Indonesian government has extended its micro-scale community activities restriction (PPKM) and also expanded it to five other provinces to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, according to an official.

Thailand reported 2,041 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total tally to top 70,000, with 31 new deaths, the highest number in a single day, as the country's worst coronavirus outbreak continued to rage. Of the new cases, 2,040 were domestic infections while the other one was imported, according to the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration.

Two-way quarantine-free travel will commence between New Zealand and the Cook Islands on May 17, pending final confirmation by the two countries' health authorities. The confirmation also involves airport and airline readiness for the opening of the bubble.

New Zealand reported four cases of COVID-19 in managed isolation and no new cases of COVID-19 in the community.

South Korea reported 488 more cases of COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 123,728. The daily caseload was down from 606 the previous day, falling below 500 in seven days due to fewer virus tests over the weekend.