India coronavirus cases have crossed 5 lakh-mark taking confirmed patients toll to 5,08,953 including 1,97,387 active cases, 2,95,881 recovered, and 15,685 deaths, according to health ministry's figures released on Saturday.

While Delhi recorded 3,460 fresh COVID cases in the last 24 hours, neighbouring Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, which comprises Noida and Greater Noida, recorded only 136 fresh cases.

The district that has sternly insisted in regulating traffic to and from Delhi, hasn't seen a single death in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Delhi witnessed 63 fresh COVID related deaths in just one day alone.

The Uttar Pradesh government informed that 11 have been discharged in the last 24 hours in the district taking the total number of those being discharged to 1,039. As of today, a total of 887 active cases are there in the district. So far, Gautam Buddha Nagar has seen a total of 20 COVID related deaths.

After admitting that the world may have a COVID-19 vaccine within one year or even a few months earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday said that UK-based AstraZeneca is leading the vaccine race while US-based pharmaceutical major Moderan is not far behind.

WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan stated that the AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine candidate is the most advanced vaccine currently in terms of development.

"I think AstraZeneca certainly has a more global scope at the moment in terms of where they are doing and planning their vaccine trials," she said.