India has touched a new high of the highest number of tests in a single day so far with a 8,48,728 tests conducted in one day, the government said on Friday.

This has taken the cumulative tests to 2,76,94,416.

WHO in its Guidance Note on Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19 has advised comprehensive surveillance for suspected cases.

As many as 12,608 new COVID-19 cases and 364 deaths were reported in Maharashtra on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 5,72,734 in the state, the health department said.

According to the health department, a total of 10,484 COVID-19 recoveries were reported.

Gold prices on Friday was recorded at Rs 52,701 per 10 gram on subdued global cues and weaker dollar while silver prices rose to Rs 67,439 from Rs 66,256 per kg, according to Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association. The yellow metal has witnessed sharp volatility in the market as experts chart its direction after a massive slump from recent highs.

Gold jewellery prices vary across India, the second-largest consumer of the metal, due to excise duty, state taxes, and making charges.

Oil prices advanced on Friday and were heading for a second week of gains amid growing confidence that demand for fuel is starting to pick up despite the coronavirus pandemic that has slammed economies worldwide.

Brent crude was up 14 cents, or 0.3%, at $45.10 by 0043 GMT, heading for a gain of about 1.6% this week.

Hyderabad-based pharma company Biological E Limited (BE) has entered into an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals for the development and manufacturing of Covid-19 drugs as well as Johnson &Johnson's (J&J) Covid-19 vaccine candidate.

The vaccine candidate is in phase 1/2a clinical trials.

E-commerce giant Amazon has forayed into the online medicine segment and launched Amazon Pharmacy. The service has been started in areas with select pin codes in Bengaluru, while the company is learnt to be mulling scaling it up to other cities across India in the near future.

The service would allow customers to order prescription-based medication in addition to over-the-counter medicines, basic health devices and Ayurveda medication from certified sellers.

A total of 60 more arrests have been made by the Bengaluru Police in connection with the violence that broke out in the city on August 11, taking the total number of arrests in the incident to 206. Among the new arrests is Kaleem Pasha, husband of Congress corporator from Nagwara ward Irshad Begum.

Pasha is said to have close political links with both the Congress party and SDPI.

The Assam government on Thursday announced new Unlock guidelines allowing inter-district movement on weekdays, and dismissing night curfew hours.

The order from the government will allow inter-district movement of people from August 16 under which passenger vehicles will be also be allowed to operate with 50 percent capacity.

The chief of Pakistan Army's media wing on Thursday said that the army is capable of tackling any aggression from India, and is not threatened by the country's latest acquisition of Rafale jets.

Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar made these statements at a press conference when asked about the threat posed by India's Rafale jets.

Former Indian skipper and Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has tested negative for coronavirus.

Dhoni will now be arriving in Chennai for a one-week training camp on Friday ahead of the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League.

The tournament is set to start on September 19 in the UAE.

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