A cyclist wearing a face mask pedals past a closed eyewear store in Kochi, Kerala state, India, in the morning of Oct 31, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

TOKYO / DUBAI / JERUSALEM / AMMAN / NEW DELHI - India's health ministry Saturday said focused government efforts of efficient clinical management on hospitalized cases have ensured that the country's case fatality rate (CFR) has fallen below 1.5 percent.

"India has witnessed significant success in its collective fight against the global pandemic. The CFR has fallen below 1.5 percent. On a progressive decline, the CFR is 1.49 percent today," the ministry said.

India's COVID-19 tally reached 8,137,119 on Saturday as 48,268 new cases were detected across the country in the past 24 hours, according to the latest data released by the federal health ministry.

With 551 deaths since Thursday morning, the death toll in the country due to the pandemic reached 121,641, added the ministry's data.

Still there are 582,649 active cases in the country, while 7,432,829 people have been cured and discharged from hospitals so far.

The Indian government has been ramping up COVID-19 testing facilities across the length and breadth of the country.

Australia

Voters in Australia's Queensland state went to the polls on Saturday in an election overshadowed by COVID-19, with the Labor government expected to retain power for taking strict measures that have put it at odds with the national government. 

"Today's a really important day and it's about Queenslanders making a choice," Annastacia Palaszczuk, premier of the country's third-most populous state, told local media after casting her vote. 

"It's about who they want to be the premier to actually lead the state." Palaszczuk has adopted stringent anti-virus controls, including the closure of state borders, causing friction with Prime Minister Scott Morrison who wants internal borders open to boost an economic recovery.

Indonesia

Indonesia reported 3,143 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, taking the country's total to 410,088, according to the health ministry website. 

There were also 87 new deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 13,869. Indonesia has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia.

Iraq

In Iraq, 2,878 new COVID-19 cases were detected in Iraq during the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide infections to 470,633.

The death toll from the coronavirus in Iraq rose to 10,862 after 47 fatalities were added, while the total recoveries increased to 397,241 as 2,855 more patients recovered.

Isreal

In Israel, 587 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, taking the tally of coronavirus infections to 313,701.

The death toll rose to 2,514 with six new fatalities, while the tally of recoveries reached 299,822 with 383 new ones. The number of active cases stands at 11,362.

Israel's coronavirus cabinet decided that the second stage of the exit plan from the ongoing full lockdown will begin on Sunday, Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Friday.

During the new stage, the lockdown measures imposed by the government last month to curb the spread of COVID-19 will be further scaled back.

READ MORE: Indonesia's confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 400,000

Fans enter a baseball stadium before a Japanese professional baseball league game between the Hanshin Tigers and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Yokohama, south of Tokyo on Oct 30, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

Japan

Japan will waive a two-week self-quarantine requirement for those returning from an overseas business trip of one week or less, the Nikkei reported. 

The decision takes effect on Nov 1 and is applicable to Japanese citizens and those holding residency status, on the condition that travelers limit their movements to between their home and workplace, according to the report.

Jordan

In Jordan, 3,921 new COVID-19 cases and 32 more deaths were recorded, increasing the tally of cases to 69,306 and the death toll to 772. It is the biggest single-day rise in the country.

Kuwait

Kuwait reported 671 new COVID-19 cases and six more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 125,337 and the death toll to 773 in the country.

The Kuwaiti health ministry also announced the recovery of 727 more patients, taking the total recoveries in the country to 116,202.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 1,751 to 79,529, with 625 deaths and 40,352 recoveries.

Lebanon's caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan warned that the country will witness a second wave of COVID-19 amid lack of hospital beds, LBCI TV channel reported.

"Our public and private health sectors should be ready to double hospital beds and secure the needed services for our society and citizens," Hassan said.

Malaysia

Malaysia Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, facing a challenge from the opposition and dissension within his coalition, on Saturday urged lawmakers to pass the 2021 budget to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Southeast Asian nation has seen a resurgence in infections that is battering the economy, with the number of cases more than doubling in the past month. 

"I hope all parliamentarians can put aside political differences to ensure that the 2021 Budget is approved in the interest of the people and the country," he said in a televised address, adding that "an understanding can be framed among members of parliament".

Mongolia 

Mongolia reported six more imported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing its total tally of infections to 346, the country's health ministry said Saturday.

All 346 confirmed cases in Mongolia were imported, with the Asian country not seeing any COVID-19 related deaths or local transmissions so far.

New Zealand

New Zealand reported seven new cases of COVID-19 from managed isolation facilities, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the ministry, the new cases were all imported, and no new community case was found.

All the new cases were detected during routine isolation and testing processes and were currently at the Auckland quarantine facilities, it said.

The total number of active cases was currently 75 and the total confirmed cases in New Zealand reached 1,601, said the ministry.

Sri Lankan health workers take a swab samples to test for COVID-19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Oct 22, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

Palestine

Palestine reported 504 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 64,741, including 553 deaths and 57,234 recoveries.

ALSO READ: Iran's COVID-19 cases surpass 600,000

Qatar

In Qatar, 193 new cases of coronavirus were detected, increasing the total number to 132,343, including 232 deaths and 129,349 recoveries.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia announced 398 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total tally to 346,880.

The number of recoveries rose to 333,409 with the reporting of 404 new recoveries, while the death toll reached 5,383 with the registration of 20 more fatalities.

Sri Lanka

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka surpassed the 10,000-mark on Friday after 314 new patients were detected during the day, health ministry statistics showed.

Out of the total 10,105 patients, 4,282 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 19 deaths have been reported.

Sri Lanka has in recent weeks seen a rise in the number of COVID-19 patients after the detection of two new clusters, one in Minuwangoda in the outskirts of Colombo and another one from a fish market in Peliyagoda, in the capital.

olice on Friday declared a curfew throughout the Western Province which includes Colombo, while a curfew in the Gampaha district where Minuwangoda is located has been under a curfew since early October.

The Philippines

The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday reported 1,803 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection, bringing the total number in the country to 380,729.

The DOH said 606 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 331,046.

The death toll climbed to 7,221 after 36 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH added.

The UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 1,172 new cases, raising the total confirmed cases in the country to 131,508.

The tally of recoveries in the UAE rose to 127,607 after 1,460 more patients have recovered from the virus while the death toll reached 490 with two more deaths.