India recorded 43,509 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,15,28,114, while the active cases registered an increase for the second consecutive day, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

Besides, the country also reported 640 fatalities in the last 24 hours.

The central government is sending a six-member team from the National Centre for Disease Control to Kerala, which has been witnessing an alarming surge in daily COVID-19 cases. As a large number of Covid cases are still being reported in Kerala, the team will aid the state's ongoing efforts in Covid management," Mr Mandaviya said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will impose a three-year travel ban on citizens travelling to countries on the kingdom's red list, including India, under efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus and its new variants. 

"Travelling to the banned countries is an obvious violation of COVID-19 related travel restrictions and the Kingdom's updated instructions," the Gulf News on Tuesday quoted a report by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying.

The red-list countries include the UAE, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus, India and Vietnam, PTI reported.

BDST: 1418 HRS, JUL 29, 2021
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