The Latest: India sets another daily record for virus cases

NEW DELHI — India has recorded 685 virus deaths in the past 24 hours, as well as 444 previously unreported fatalities, bring the nationwide death toll from the pandemic to 29,861.

The Health Ministry on Thursday also reported a new record surge of 45,720 new coronavirus cases, taking the total tally of infections to 1,238,635.

Many states in India have started reimposing lockdowns as health authorities struggle to trace transmissions.

Late Wednesday, the Himalayan region of Kashmir announced a five-day complete lockdown in areas that have been categorized as red zones. A two-day complete lockdown also started Thursday in West Bengal state.

India has record the third most virus cases in the world after the United States and Brazil.

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

— U.S. labs buckle amid testing surge, as global virus cases top 15 million.

— California moves past New York, now tops in nation for virus cases.

— Australia's second-largest city makes masks mandatory.

— California to spend $315 million more to buy protective masks.

— White House, GOP agree on virus testing in new aid bill.

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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

MELBOURNE, Australia — Wearing masks became compulsory in Australia’s second-largest city of Melbourne on Thursday as coronavirus hot spot Victoria state reported 403 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and five deaths.

The daily infection tally for the state was down from a record 484 posted...