The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 157 million, with more than 3.2 million deaths and over 93 million recoveries, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.

The World Health Organization (WHO) authorized China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, a move set to boost global vaccine roll-out.

India is experiencing a devastating second wave, and a top scientific advisor to the government warned a third wave was "inevitable."

India on Sunday reported 4,092 new fatalities from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the second consecutive day with over 4,000 new deaths in the country.

A total of 403,738 more cases were also confirmed, health ministry data showed, pushing the total caseload to over 22.3 million. The official death toll has risen to 242,362.

Japan on Friday extended a state of emergency in Tokyo and three other areas until the end of May to stem a surge in coronavirus cases.

The European Commission on Friday called on the U.S. and other major COVID-19 vaccine producers to export what they make as the European Union does, rather than talk about waiving intellectual property rights to the shots.