Covid-19 latest: Study highlights how an asthma drug can speed up recovery

India now accounts for one in every six daily infections worldwide. Monday's new cases carried it past Brazil, for an overall tally of 13.53 million, data compiled by Reuters shows, placing it second after the United States, with 31.2 million.

The deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has wreaked havoc across the world. The disease and its consequences have posed a challenge for health authorities worldwide.

A woman wearing a face mask walks past a Covid-19 graffiti in Navi Mumbai (Francis Mascarenhas / REUTERS)

India now accounts for one in every six daily infections worldwide. Monday's new cases carried it past Brazil, for an overall tally of 13.53 million, data compiled by Reuters shows, placing it second after the United States, which has 31.2 million cases.

Here are the latest news on Covid-19 around the world:

1. Treating Covid-19 patients at home with a commonly-used inhaled asthma drug called Budesonide can speed up their recovery, according to UK trial results on Monday which doctors said could change the way the disease is treated around the world.
2. India on Monday overtook Brazil as the country with the second-highest number of coronavirus infections and Bangladesh halted international flights and shut offices as a new wave battered South Asia.
3. Australia has abandoned a goal to vaccinate nearly all of its 26 million population by the end of 2021 following advice that people under the age of 50 take Pfizer's vaccine rather than AstraZeneca's shot.
4. Transmission through direct contact and saliva in the form of small drops and through aerosols have caused the rapid spread worldwide. According to the latest report of the World Health Organization (WHO) half of the coronavirus patients suffer oral symptoms during the infection.
5. Sputnik V, the vaccine against Covid-19 developed by Russia, has been recommended by an expert panel for emergency use in India. If accepted, it would be is the third coronavirus vaccine to get emergency use approval, after Covishield (Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (Bharat Biotech).