The Latest: Cases soaring in New Delhi ahead of festival

NEW DELHI — Coronavirus infections are continuing to soar in India's capital as the country heads into a festival weekend that sees large gatherings.

New Delhi reported 8,593 newly confirmed cases Thursday, up from 7,830 cases a day earlier as people crowd shopping areas ahead of Saturday's observances of Diwali — an important Hindu festival of lights. The Delhi government projects that new coronavirus cases will be nearly 12,000 daily by the end of November.

India's infections overall continue came in at 47,905 new cases, a rise from 44,281 cases reported Wednesday. The Health Ministry also reported 550 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 128,121.

India's tally of more than 8.6 million confirmed cases is the second largest in the world behind the United States.

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HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Britain is 5th nation to reach 50,000 coronavirus deaths

— Texas surpasses 1 million virus cases, 1st state in U.S.

— European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde: Recovery bumpy until vaccine widespread

— Texas tops 1 million cases as COVID-19 surge engulfs the US

— Hong Kong and Singapore will start an air travel bubble this month, allowing travelers from each city to visit the other without entering quarantine.

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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is beseeching people in his state to take the surging spread of coronavirus infections seriously.

He made the plea Wednesday as he issued new orders on mask enforcement in businesses, gatherings across the state. He also is threatening to close bars, restaurants and fitness centers if cases continue to rise.

DeWine shifted the authority of mask enforcement from local counties to state officials. If a business receives more than one violation it will have to close for 24 hours.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Health authorities in New Zealand say the country has a coronavirus case for which they haven't been able to determine the source of the infection. It is a blow for a nation that has been largely successful in its attempts to eliminate community spread of the virus.

Authorities said Thursday that they are urgently investigating the recent movements and possible sources of infection for the affected Auckland student, who also works at a clothing store.

So far the government hasn't raised the alert level for New Zealand or imposed any new restrictions.

Since the pandemic began, New Zealand has reported about 2,000 confirmed cases and 25 deaths from COVID-19.

PHILADELPHIA — The largest teachers union in Pennsylvania is demanding that school districts in nearly two dozen counties with the worst coronavirus outbreaks have students temporarily learn from home.

State officials recommend virtual instruction in counties with a "substantial" level of community transmission. There are 23 such counties at present.

But some Pennsylvania districts have gone their own way, offering classroom instruction or using a hybrid model in which students go to school part-time and learn from home part-time.

With winter about to set in, the Pennsylvania State Education Association said Wednesday it's time for schools to heed public health advice on remote instruction.

In a letter, the union said, "It is absolutely unacceptable for any school district to disregard the advice of medical professionals and scientists during a pandemic and put the safety of students, staff, and their families at risk."

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky has posted a new daily high for confirmed coronavirus cases as the governor implores people to wear masks to counter the accelerating outbreak.

Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday reported 2,700 new virus cases and 14 morel virus-related deaths as hospitalizations for COVID-19 continued to rise.

The governor warned in a social media video that "this entire state is in danger." He again implored Kentuckians to wear masks when in public and to follow other recommended measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

Eighty of Kentucky's 120 counties are in the most serious category for COVID-19 incidence. People in those counties are asked to avoid gatherings of any size and stay home except for essential activities. Schools are urged to hold only virtual classes, and businesses should allow employees to work from home when possible.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that people will also be barred from hosting private gatherings with more than 10 people.

Cuomo says the new restrictions going into effect Friday are necessary because new coronavirus infections have been traced to those types of activities. Businesses can reopen each morning.

Cuomo spoke as rates of coronavirus infection continued to rise in New York and elsewhere. He said that 1,628 people were hospitalized across the state for COVID-19 on Tuesday and that 21 people had died.

The new closing time applies to all establishments that are licensed by the State Liquor Authority. Only carry-out service will be allowed after that.

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The new steps being imposed by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb will limit social gathering sizes in those counties at the higher-risk levels of coronavirus spread and would cover 87 of the state's 92 counties as of Wednesday's update from the state health department.

A new executive order starting this weekend will limit crowd sizes to 20 people in the highest-risk red counties and 50 people in the next-riskiest orange counties, with larger events needing approval from local health officials.

Holcomb said he was also extending the statewide mask mandate for another month.

Holcomb had decided in late September to lift nearly all of Indiana's business and crowd size restrictions. Since then, Indiana hospitals have seen a 200% increase in COVID-19 patients and the seven-day rolling average of deaths has gone jumped from 10 a day to 38, just short of the state's peak in late April.

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State Rep. Aaron Vega, a Holyoke Democrat, was among the speakers during Holyoke's holiday remembrance to recognize the nearly 80 veterans who died from the virus at the Holyoke Soldiers Home earlier this year.

The Veteran's Day ceremony was conducted virtually with virus cases surging in the state and elsewhere.

"I want to ensure that respect, dignity and care are re-instilled in our Soldiers' Home," Vega said. "Those veterans that we lost will not be forgotten, and we'll be sure to use their memory so that a tragedy like that won't happen again."

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PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon recorded 876 new presumptive or confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and five new deaths.

The numbers come as nine counties with high COVID spread -- including Portland, Oregon -- begin a two-week pause on social activities in an attempt to control the virus.

Hospitalizations are also rising. The Oregon Health Authority recorded a record 285 confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals Tuesday — a 57% increase in the past week and an 83% increase in the past month.

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NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus has put its entire southwest under a strict 19-day lockdown, banning any non-essential movement of people and shuttering bars and restaurants after a string of escalating restrictions failed to curb a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections.

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said Wednesday the lockdown is necessary because infections in the Limassol and Paphos districts jumped from 28% to 70% of the national average in the last six weeks while two-thirds of hospitalized COVID-19 patients now receiving treatment hail from there.

All public gatherings are banned, religious services will be conducted without any worshippers, all public and private high schools and colleges will conduct classes online, and non-essential government employees will work from home. Museums and archaeological sites, theaters and cinemas, shopping malls, beauty parlors and hairdressing salons, gyms, pools and casinos cannot open.

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O'FALLON, Mo. — As record numbers of patients with the coronavirus fill Missouri's hospitals, many are requiring specialized care in intensive care unit beds that are becoming increasingly scarce.

Data released by the state Wednesday showed an additional 4,071 new COVID-19 cases and 24 more deaths. The state has reported 220,768 cases and 3,323 deaths since the pandemic began.

The state also cited a record 2,157 hospitalizations, 102 above the previous mark set Tuesday. ICU capacity is down to 32% statewide, but just 28% in northwestern Missouri, 19% in the Kansas City area and 2% in sparsely populated northeast Missouri.

To staff ICUs, hospitals are taking steps such as hiring agency workers and moving staff from other areas of the hospital. Many hospitals also are postponing elective surgeries to keep bed space available for COVID-19 patients, Dillon said.

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings have given up on trying to host larger crowds and said Wednesday that the team will close the remaining home games to fans, as the state blew past its record for new deaths in a day.

The Vikings said in a statement that while players, coaches and staff have missed the energy and passion that fans bring on game day, the team would no longer seek approval to host more than 250 fans for the remaining games at U.S. Bank Stadium. The state's health guidelines currently cap crowds at 250.

The stands were empty for the Vikings' first game of the season. The last three home games had 250 or fewer invited family members of players and staff in the lower bowl.

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BISMARCK, N.D. —- North Dakota has reported one of every 83 residents has tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week.

North Dakota had 2,265 new cases per 100,000 people in the past two weeks, which ranks first in the nation for new cases per capita.

State health officials reported 1,039 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, and a daily positivity rate of more than 18% for the second consecutive day.

There were 12 more deaths, increasing the total to 696. There have already been 123 deaths in November, matching all of September. October was the deadliest month so far in North Dakota, with 292 deaths.

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EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Mayo Clinic Health System says its hospitals in the northwest region of Wisconsin are full to capacity.

System officials say 100% of their beds are full at hospitals in the region, which encompasses Barron, Bloomer, Eau Claire, Osseo and Menomonie. Eighty-three patients have COVID-19, WQOW-TV reported.

They say 50% of the patients in intensive care have COVID-19 and 40% of their medical or surgical beds are filled with cornavirus patients.

In addition, 300 workers are on work restrictions due to COVID-19 exposure.