India reported 159,632 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in the country, nudging several state governments to impose fresh restrictions.
India's richest state, Maharashtra, said on Saturday it would close swimming pools and gyms from Monday while schools and colleges have been closed till February 15 after daily cases in the state jumped to over 41,000.
The state government has said only fully vaccinated people will be allowed into private offices while limiting the capacity to 50 per cent of the total workforce.
In the neighbouring state of Gujarat, authorities have extended night curfew hours and cancelled leave for all healthcare personnel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation later on Sunday, according to government sources.
The health ministry reported 327 new deaths, taking the official death toll since the start of the pandemic to 483,790. Total infections stand at 35.52 million.
A Bangladesh war crimes court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death on Monday, concluding a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.
More than 200,000 protesters turned out on Monday for the second day of an anti-graft rally in the Philippines, demanding accountability over accusations of corruption in flood-mitigation projects.
At least six people were killed in central Vietnam when a bus carrying them was hit by a landslide on Sunday evening, state media reported on Monday, as heavy rain pounded the area.
Rain-triggered landslides in two regions in Indonesia's Central Java province last week have led to the deaths of at least 18 people, authorities said on Monday, with search operations ongoing.