Mainland China reported 1,886 new-virus-cases and 98 more deaths for a total of 1,868 in its update Tuesday, following a report that 80% of cases have been mild, prompting guarded optimism from health officials. China may postpone its annual congress in March, its biggest political meeting of the year, to avoid travel while the disease is still spreading.

India's health ministry has proposed a ban on the production and import of electronic-cigarettes, documents seen by Reuters showed, potentially jeopardizing the expansion plans of big firms like Juul Labs and Philip-Morris-International. The ministry has proposed that the government issue an executive order banning the devices in the public-interest, saying it was needed to ensure e-cigarettes don't become an "epidemic" among children and young-adults.

With the aim to move towards "healthy eating", the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to serve food like dates, roasted chana, almond and walnuts instead of cookies and biscuits. The Health Ministry issued a circulation on June 19 making it mandatory not to serve cookies, biscuits or any unhealthy fast food with immediate effect.