August 27 coronavirus news

India recorded 75,760 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday -- the country's highest one-day jump in cases since the pandemic began, according to the Health Ministry.

That raises the country's total number of infections to 3.31 million. Of those, more than 2.5 million have recovered, leaving over 725,000 active cases, according to the ministry.

In India, not all patients require a test to be considered recovered. Patients with mild and moderate symptoms are considered no longer active after 10 days of symptom onset if they meet certain conditions, and a test to confirm that they no longer have the virus is not required. However, severe cases can only be discharged after one negative coronavirus test.

The death toll stands at 60,472, according to the ministry. 

Meanwhile, the state of West Bengal has extended its lockdown: The restrictions are now scheduled to expire on September 20.

During lockdown, only essential services will continue to operate, with the exception of industrial activity and some local transport. Schools will stay shut.

Some days will be designated "total lockdown" -- meaning no movement or commercial activity at all will be permitted. The complete list of these dates have not yet been released.

Indigenous Brazilian protesters removed their barricades from a key highway in Brazil’s Amazon on Wednesday, after 10 days of protest against the federal government.

The group has decided to end their protest until a decision is reached regarding a lawsuit filed by Pará state's Federal Public Attorney. The suit urges the government to renew a program that compensates communities for the environmental impact the highway has over their territory.

The indigenous group also has another demand: for the government to step up its efforts to contain Covid-19, which has ravaged their community.  

The Kayapó Mekragnoti people first blocked the highway last Monday, August 17, near the city of Novo Progresso to demand health assistance, medical supplies and food to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.   

The indigenous group kept the road open since Saturday as it negotiated with government officials. By Wednesday, August 26, the group decided to leave the highway for good and return home.   

The United States reported 44,109 new cases of Covid-19 and 1,222 new virus-related fatalities on Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

That raises the national total to at least 5,821,819 cases and 179,708 deaths.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.

Follow CNN's live tracker of US cases here:

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Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US

Mexico recorded 5,267 new cases of Covid-19 and 626 virus-related fatalities on Wednesday.

This raises the country's total to 573,888 cases and 62,076 deaths.

Mexico has reported the third-highest number of deaths from coronavirus, behind only the United States and Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Within Latin America, Mexico has seen the third-highest number of total cases, following Brazil and Peru.

South Korea recorded 441 new coronavirus cases in the past day, marking the highest number of new daily cases since March 7, according to data from South Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

Among the new cases, 434 were locally transmitted. Of these, 313 were from the Seoul metropolitan area, health ministry officials said Thursday. 

Meanwhile, officials continue to conduct contact tracing in relation to the Sarang-jeil Church cluster; more than 900 cases have been linked to it so far.

On top of the initial 4,066 close contacts of the Sarang-jeil Church congregation and visitors, an additional 1,846 people have been identified through on-site contact tracing, officials said today.

Meanwhile, Gwangju City Mayor Lee Yong-sub issued an executive order on Thursday, banning all religious gatherings and shutting down facilities used by the public.

Peru’s Health Ministry recorded 5,996 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections identified in the country to 613,378.  

The Health Ministry also confirmed 123 new fatalities, taking the country's coronavirus death toll to 28,124.

Only Brazil has recorded more Covid-19 cases in Latin America than Peru, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made controversial changes to its testing guidelines after “updated recommendations” from the White House coronavirus task force, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said Wednesday. 

The changed guidelines: The Trump administration has scrambled to explain the quiet changes made to the CDC website Monday.

The previous guidelines recommended testing anyone who had been in close contact with a confirmed case, even people who do not develop symptoms. The new guidelines said only some people should get tested.

Controversy over official approval: Earlier, Adm. Brett Giroir, who heads testing efforts for the task force, told reporters that task force members had weighed in on the change -- including Redfield and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert.

But Fauci later denied this to CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

The coronavirus pandemic is worsening the United States' drug shortage problem, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Traditionally, Jensen said, drug shortages are rooted in manufacturing and quality problems involving sterile, injectable drugs especially older ones. Those are the very kinds of medications used by hospitalized patients, that are facing shortages and increased demand

There are also shortages of pharmacy drugs, like those for high blood pressure and antibiotics.

Jensen said the FDA had been in contact with more than 180 drug manufacturers since January, working to stabilize supply chains and monitor potential disruptions.

Brazil’s Health Ministry reported 47,161 new Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours on Wednesday, bringing the country's total to 3,717,156.

The ministry also reported 1,086 new coronavirus fatalities, raising Brazil's death toll to 117,666.

Calculations by CNN based on official figures show that average cases and deaths in Brazil -- measured over a seven-day period -- peaked in late July.

For new cases, the peak average was 46,393 on July 29. As of August 26, that daily average had fallen to 37,214. 

There's been a slower decline in the average number of deaths -- from a peak of 1,096 on July 25 to 938 on August 26.

Only the United States has recorded more coronavirus cases and deaths than Brazil.