| | India recorded more than 400,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time on Saturday as it battles a devastating second wave, and the country's massive new vaccination drive was hampered in some areas by shortages of the shots. | | | Italy reported 226 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday against 263 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 12,965 from 13,446. | | | Britain reported seven new coronavirus deaths and a further 1,907 infections on Saturday, taking the total number of deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test to 127,524, according to daily government figures. | | | Ukraine has signed a contract with Pfizer (PFE.N) for an additional 10 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine, brining the total number of doses to 20 million, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office said on Saturday. | | | A forum of scientific advisers set up by the Indian government has told authorities about minor mutations in some samples of the coronavirus that could "possibly evade immune response" and require more study, a leader of the forum has told Reuters. | | | The Philippines received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, the presidential office said. | | | Japan's western prefecture of Osaka confirmed a record daily total of 1,262 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, along with 41 deaths, national broadcaster NHK reported. | | | Russia reported 9,270 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including 3,208 in Moscow, taking the official national tally since the pandemic began to 4,814,558. | | | A forum of scientific advisers set up by the government warned Indian officials in early March of a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus taking hold in the country, five scientists who are part of the forum told Reuters. | | | China carried out about 11.6 million vaccinations against COVID-19 on April 30, bringing the total number administered to 265.06 million, according to data released by the National Health Commission on Saturday. | | | | |