Migrant workers coming from other states stand in queue to get a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for the COVID-19 coronavirus as they arrived at the Anand Vihar bus terminal to board on city buses, in New Delhi on August 18, 2020. (Photo: AFP)

The total number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has increased to 774,682 with the global confirmed cases reaching 21,913,816 as of 8:30 pm BJT on Tuesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Current status (data as of 8:30 pm BJT, August 18):

Inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by a Chinese pharmaceutical company are likely to be on the market by the end of December, at a price of less than 1,000 yuan ($144) for two shots. The marketing review procedure will start after overseas phase III clinical trials are completed.

South Africa, which had one of the world's strictest anti-coronavirus lockdowns for five months, relaxed its restrictions Tuesday to permit the sales of alcohol and cigarettes and other returns to more ordinary life in response to decreasing new cases and hospitalizations for COVID-19.

Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 36 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total confirmed cases to 4,560.

Italy registered a moderate slowdown in the daily number of new coronavirus cases on Monday, as authorities warned the country's top priority was to reopen schools in September in the best safety conditions. On the same day, a new government's decree ordering the temporary closure of all discos across the country entered into force.

Russia registered 4,748 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 932,493, the country's COVID-19 response center said in a statement Tuesday. Meanwhile, 132 new deaths were reported, taking the nationwide count to 15,872.