Immigration officers check the temperatures of Myanmar fisherman, as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, at the port in Pattani on April 11, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

NEW DELHI / BANGKOK / DUBAI / SEOUL - With the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday ordered all closures of access points to Myanmar from Thailand's western province of Kanchanaburi.

"We must stay vigilant and tightened security at all Thai-Myanmar border access points," said Prayut.

The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) listed the routes closed, include Kanchanaburi's Phu Nam Ron and Bongdi checkpoints, Ban E Tong natural channel, and the Three Pagodas border checkpoint.

India

India will reopen underground train networks and allow sports and religious events in a limited manner from next month as part of the government’s efforts to revive the economy, even as coronavirus infections soar.

India's COVID-19 tally surpassed 3.5 million, rising to 3,542,733 as the death toll rose to 63,498 on Sunday, showed the latest data released by the country's health ministry. As many as 78,761 new cases and 948 deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours across the country.

The underground train network, a lifeline for millions in the capital city of New Delhi, will be reopened in a phased manner from Sept. 7, the federal home ministry said.

Social, academic, sports and religious events will be permissible with a maximum of a 100 people from Sept 21, it said.

Schools, colleges will remain closed until end-September.

In all of the containment zones across the country - areas where the spread of infections is most severe - strict lockdown restrictions will remain in place, the government said.

Police personnel check travel passes from commuters after lockdown norms for weekends and public holidays in the state have been imposed as a preventive measure against the novel coronavirus, in Amritsar on August 29, 2020. (ARINDER NANU / AFP)

Australia

Victoria, Australia posted 114 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, a day after they fell to 94 which had put them below triple digits for the first time in nearly two months.

Victoria, the country’s second-most populous state, has been battling a second wave of infections, with the state’s capital Melbourne already four weeks into a six-week hard lockdown that authorities said may ease only gradually.

State health officials reported 11 deaths in the 24 hours to Sunday morning, bringing the country’s total to 611. Australia has fared far better than many other countries in keeping the coronavirus from spreading, but at a high economic cost.

The country of about 25 million has recorded so far around 25,600 cases of the new coronavirus since the start of the year - a fraction of what some states in the United States or some European countries have seen.

READ MORE: Thailand plans re-opening for long-stay visitors this winter

Indonesia 

The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 2,858 within one day to 172,053, with the death toll adding by 82 to 7,343, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

According to the ministry, 1,383 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 124,185.

Iran 

Iran reported 1,905 new cases on Saturday, its lowest daily total in three months and the first time since late May that the number was under 2,000. Fatalities fell for a sixth day to 110, the lowest since late June, according to the latest Health Ministry data.

Iraq

In Iraq, the tally of recovered cases increased to 169,020 after 4,146 new ones, the highest number in a single day since the outbreak of the disease, were registered.

The country also detected 3,834 new COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours, bringing the total nationwide infections to 227,446.

The death toll from the coronavirus in Iraq rose to 6,891 after 77 fatalities were added.

Israel

The number of coronavirus cases in Israel has risen to 113,465, with 1,465 new cases, the Ministry of Health said Saturday.

The death toll rose to 906 after 12 new fatalities were added, while the number of patients in serious condition rose from 414 to 438, out of 861 patients currently hospitalized.

The number of recoveries rose to 92,104, with 1,053 new recoveries, while the number of active cases rose to 20,455.

Jordan

In Jordan, 24 new COVID-19 cases were reported, raising the tally of cases to 1,893, including 15 deaths and 1,447 recoveries. 

Pedestrians wear face masks as they walk in a street of Ankara on August 26, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

Kyrgyzstan 

Kyrgyzstan announced 108 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 38,820.

The country also reported 225 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 38,198, while the death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 1,059 after one more death was added in the past 24 hours.

The current recovery rate of COVID-19 in Kyrgyzstan is 87.1 percent and the fatality rate stands at 2.4 percent, said the country's headquarters on COVID-19.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 662 to 16,275, while the death toll went up by seven to 155.

Charaf Abou Charaf, head of Lebanese Order of Physicians, announced that beds for COVID-19 patients in the country are limited.

Meanwhile, Lebanese hospitals are trying to expand their COVID-19 units to handle a higher number of patients in the future.

ALSO READ: Seoul to restrict restaurants, cafes to stem virus resurgence

Malaysia 

Malaysia reported 17 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Sunday, bringing the national total to 9,334.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 15 of the new cases are imported and two more are local transmissions.

One more death had been reported, with the victim having suffered from prior health problems, bringing the total deaths to 126.

Maldives 

Maldives may enforce a second lockdown to bring a second wave of COVID-19 infections under control, local media citing President Ibrahim Solih reported here Sunday.

President Solih has said that while a lockdown may have adverse effects for citizens and the economy, the government would enforce one if the current trend of COVID-19 infections continues, echoing warnings from the Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC).

Mongolia 

Mongolia reported four more COVID-19 recoveries, bringing its total recoveries to 295, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said Sunday.

The remaining six COVID-19 patients being treated at the NCCD are in stable condition, Amarjargal Ambaselmaa, head of the NCCD's Surveillance Department, told a daily press briefing.

Myanmar

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar has increased to 749 as of Sunday morning, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports.

A total of 16 new COVID-19 confirmed cases, including 10 local transmission cases and six imported cases, were reported on Sunday Morning.

New Zealand

New Zealand, reported two new virus cases on Sunday, taking its tally of infections to 1,378, while the death toll stands at 22.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said curbs in Auckland would be eased from Monday, but would be tightened again if needed.

Limits will stay on public gatherings and movement in Auckland, however, with masks made mandatory nationwide from Monday.

Palestine

Palestine reported 417 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 28,527, including 19,323 recoveries and 164 deaths.

Qatar

In Qatar, the tally of coronavirus infections reached 118,407 with the addition of 211 new cases, including 115,251 recoveries and 196 fatalities.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia reported 987 new coronavirus cases and 27 deaths on Saturday, dipping below 1,000 new cases daily for the first time since mid-April.

The country has gradually managed to bring down daily new cases from a peak of nearly 5,000 in June, with masks mandated in public and international flights suspended since March. However its death rate has steadily crept up over the same time period, reaching 1.2% on Saturday -- still among the lowest in the world.

Singapore

Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 51 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 56,717.

Of the new cases, three are imported cases, one is a community case and the rest are linked with the dormitories of foreign workers.  

South Korea

South Korea reported 299 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 12:00 a.m. Sunday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 19,699.

The daily caseload fell below 300 in five days, but it continued to grow in triple digits since Aug. 14.

The number of confirmed cases for the past 17 days reached 4,929 owing to infections in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province.

The infections were traceable to church services of Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul and the massive rally held in central Seoul on Aug. 15 by conservative politicians, civic groups and church members.

Syria

A total of 65 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in government-controlled areas in Syria on Saturday, the health ministry said in a statement.

With the new cases, the tally of coronavirus infections has risen to 2,628 in Syria's government-controlled areas since March, including 599 recoveries and 106 deaths.

The Philippines

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 217,396 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 4,284 new daily cases on Sunday.

The DOH said that the number of recoveries surged to 157,403 after it reported 22,319 more patients have survived the disease.

The death toll also rose to 3,520 after 102 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH added.

It is the fifth consecutive day that daily casualties from the coronavirus disease in the Southeast Asian country have surpassed 90.

Turkey

Authorities in Istanbul announced curbs on weddings and other ceremonies in Turkey’s largest city on Saturday as the number of daily coronavirus cases and deaths hit their highest level nationwide in more than two months.

From Monday indoor weddings, engagement parties and circumcision ceremonies will be banned, Istanbul’s governor’s office said. Children and people aged over 60 will be barred from outdoor ceremonies which still go ahead, it said.

The number of severe COVID-19 patients in Turkey increased to 917 on Saturday, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

Koca reported 1,549 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, raising the total diagnosed patients to 267,064.

UAE

Schools in the United Arab Emirates are set to reopen Sunday with new precautionary measures set in place, Khaleej Times reported. 

Some Dubai schools decided to postpone campus reopening after being unable to carry out all required Covid-19 tests.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 427 new cases, raising the total confirmed cases in the country to 69,328.

The tally of recoveries in the UAE rose to 60,202 after 341 more patients have recovered from the virus and the death toll remained at 379.

Yemen

The total number of coronavirus cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 1,946 after three new cases were added.

The number of recoveries in the government-controlled areas, including the southern port city of Aden, increased to 1,113 and the death toll climbed to 563.