Covid-19 coronavirus positive patients are seen inside a banquet hall temporarily converted into a covid care centre in New Delhi on April 29, 2021. Photo: AFP

The total number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has increased to 3,152,702 with the global confirmed cases reaching 149,683,533 as of 7:30 pm BJT on Thursday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

Current status (data as of 7:30 pm BJT, April 29):

India's COVID-19 tally surpassed 18 million, reaching 18,376,524 on Thursday, as a fresh high of 379,257 new cases were recorded during the past 24 hours, said the federal health ministry.

A plane carrying the third batch of China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Cambodia's capital Wednesday night.

The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported 8,276 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the country's total tally to 1,028,738.

Bangladesh's drug regulator has authorized the emergency use of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

Russia confirmed 9,284 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 4,796,557, said the official monitoring and response center on Thursday.