Omicron: Mumbai, Delhi worst hit with Covid-19 as cases spike, vaccination for children from January 3

The New Year brought good tidings for Nagaland where there was no fresh incidence of COVID-19 nor any death due to the virus on Saturday. The tally remained at 32,201, a health official said. Ten people had reported positive for the infection on Friday. Nagaland’s COVID-19 death toll remained unchanged at 702 as no fresh fatality was registered in the last seven days, he said.

The Telangana Govt on Saturday prohibited rallies, public meetings, and mass gatherings of all types amid rising Covid cases in the state. It will strictly enforce fine of Rs 1,000 for not wearing of mask in public spaces. The state also reported 12 new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19, taking the tally to 79.

The rise in COVID-19 cases led to the Pune district administration canceling two bullock cart races that were planned on Saturday, an official said. The races were to be held in Nanoli in Maval tehsil and Chinchodi in Ambegaon tehsil and the order canceling them for the time being due to rising COVID-19 cases was issued by Collector Rajesh Deshmukh, he said.

Delhi's South district has reported the highest number of Covid cases in a single day at 372 while the northeast district had the least at 52, according to official data shared on Saturday, as Delhi sees a major spurt in cases with each passing day.

Delhi has so far logged 351 cases of Omicron with it emerging as the dominant variant among samples being genome sequenced here.
Out of the 11 districts of the national capital, barring one, all other areas have case figures in three digits.
 

Haryana government has issued fresh guidelines amid rising Covid-19 cases and the new variant of Omicron. Read full guidelines here:

Maharashtra State Minister Aditya Thackeray will inaugurate vaccination for children aged 15-18 at the Bandra Kurla COVID Centre in Mumbai on January 3

People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani and Bakkhali.

Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distance.

Karawal market situated in North Delhi has been shut down for 2 weeks over violation of Covid norms 

BJP leader Pankaja Munde has tested positive for the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Earlier today, she was found Covid positive, but later her report said that she is positive for the new variant.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had tested positive for the delta plus variant of COVID-19 but was discharged after four days of hospitalisation as the infection was not severe and could be managed in home isolation, a hospital official said on Saturday.
Though the former India captain has not been infected with the Omicron variant, his samples taken two days back returned positive for the Delta plus variant of the COVID-19. "Ganguly's samples tested positive for the Delta plus variant. We are treating him for that," the official said.

Two more people have tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16, a senior health official said on Saturday.

Tamil Nadu continued to record an upward trend in new Covid-19 cases on Saturday with 1,489 infections and eight more deaths, pushing the numbers till date to 27,49,534 and 36,784 respectively, the Health Department said. Recoveries were less than the new cases with 611 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 27,04,410 leaving 8,340 active infections, a bulletin said.

West Bengal on Saturday recorded 4,512 fresh COVID19 cases, 1,913 recoveries, and 9 deaths. Active cases now stand at 13,300 while 16,09,924 people have recovered from the infections. Death toll due to the virus stands at 19,773.

Gujarat reported 23 new cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the tally of such infections in the state to 136, the health department said. The day before the state had reported 16 such cases. Ahmedabad city alone accounted for 11 new Omicron cases, Surat four, Vadodara, Anand and Kutch two cases each, and Kheda and Rajkot one case each.

BJP leader Pankaja Munde has tested positive for Covid- 19. Her son has also tested positive for the infection. The BJP leader has mild symptoms and is  currently under home isolation.

Nineteen passengers returning from abroad tested positive for COVID-19 during the last 24 hours, said the Delhi government on Saturday. All these patients have been admitted to the hospital.

Also Read: Delhi reports 2,716 fresh Covid cases, 51% higher than yesterday

Rajasthan recorded 52 fresh Omicron cases on Saturday, which took the tally of cases of the new variant of the coronavirus to 121 in the state, an official said.

Of the new Omicron cases, 38 were reported from Jaipur, three each form Pratapgarh, Sirohi and Bikaner, two from Jodhpur and one each from Ajmer, Sikar and Bhilwara, according to a health department spokesperson.

Seven Monaco players have tested positive for the coronavirus, the club said Saturday on the eve of its French Cup game. The match at second-tier Quevilly-Rouen is still set to go ahead on Sunday. Monaco said none of the seven players show any worrying signs and are isolating (via news agency AP).

Active coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh crossed the 1,200-mark once again as fresh cases outnumbered the number of recoveries on Saturday, a health bulletin stated. The state reported 176 fresh cases as against 103 recoveries in the 24 hours ending at 9 am on Saturday, the latest bulletin said. No COVID-19 death has been reported in the state in a day.

The cumulative case tally of COVID-19 in the state touched 20,77,321 with 20,61,599 recoveries while the death toll stands at 14,495, the bulletin stated.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday said whether further Covid-related restrictions need to be imposed in the national capital will be reviewed as hospital admissions are less, despite a rapid rise in coronavirus cases. He also said that in view of the current situation, more than 3,000 beds have been prepared for children.

In a massive surge, Delhi on Saturday recorded 2,716 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 21, and one death while the positivity rate mounted to 3.64 per cent, according to data shared by the health department.

The West Bengal state government is likely to impose curbs in phases, and is unlikely go for a total lockdown. According to a senior official of the state government, though the daily rate of infection is high, but it is not alarming. "There is no pressure on the hospitals and there is no report of Oxygen shortage in the state. Naturally the government is trying to keep a close watch on the development and will impose restrictions when needed," the official said.

Kerala recorded 2,435 fresh coronavirus cases and 22 COVID-19 related deaths on Saturday, taking the caseload to 52,40,487 and the death toll to 48,035. The health department said that along with today's deaths, 219 deaths were also designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.

"Currently, there are 18,904 active COVID-19 cases in the state of which only 10.7 per cent are admitted to hospitals," the health department said in a release.

Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education B C Nagesh on Saturday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. He said he has quarantined himself and is taking all necessary precautions.

The Uttarakhand state health department on Saturday confirmed the presence of four new cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

States have been asked to set up makeshift hospitals and form special teams, the central government said on Saturday amid a nationwide alarm over a surge in coronavirus cases driven largely by the highly infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Calcutta High Court on Saturday said that the High Court and district courts will function in virtual mode only from January 3, with certain exceptions. The development comes in light of Omicron spread across the country. West Bengal on Friday reported 100% higher cases than the previous day.

The state reported 176 fresh cases as against 103 recoveries in the 24 hours ending at 9 am on Saturday, the latest bulletin said. No COVID-19 death has been reported in the state in a day.

West Bengal Minister Aroop Biswas on Saturday claimed that he has tested positive for Covid-19. He has been admitted to Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata.

A senior doctor, on the condition of anonymity, has claimed that Omicron variant of Covid has "begun to spread in the community" as its carriers are mostly asymptomatic. Talking to news agency PTI, he said, "Omicron variant of Covid 19 is serving as a cruel reminder of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country when beds scarcity, oxygen shortage and a huge number of deaths, had given sleepless nights to people and government authorities alike".

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has investigated a cluster of Omicron infections in Nebraska state and found that the variant causes faster onset of infection symptoms. But, people who get reinfected with the highly transmissible variant, may experience fewer symptoms than they did during their initial bout with the virus.

The CDC, in its weekly latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published on Tuesday, reported the case of six people in a single household with confirmed cases of Omicron, reported news agency IANS.

India supplied the next batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul, said the External Affairs Ministry today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India will fight the Covid-19 pandemic with full caution and vigilance, and protect its national interests. He also lauded India's achievement in providing over 145 crore doses of Covid vaccine. The Prime Minister said coronavirus posed several challenges, but "Corona cannot stop India's pace". He stressed that India will fight the Covid-19 pandemic with "full caution and vigilance" and will also protect its national interests. Modi said that during the pandemic, additional food grains for free were provided to over 80 crore beneficiaries, which cost about Rs 2.6 lakh crore to the central exchequer.

Odisha reported 298 new COVID-19 cases On Saturday, the highest in more than a month, which took the tally to 10,55,132, the health department said in its bulletin. The toll rose to 8,462 as two men, aged 40 and 65, succumbed to the disease in Cuttack district. Fifty-three other COVID-19 patients have died due to comorbidities in the past, the bulletin said.

Over 90 residents of a village in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district got their heads tonsured and held a mass feast at a temple to thank the deity for ensuring "zero fatality" due to COVID-19 in their village in the year 2021. The ritual was held on Friday to fulfil the vow taken by villagers at the Devnarayan temple when the pandemic was at its peak, a resident said. Villagers, including women, took out a procession in Devri Khawasa village in the Neemuch district, around 400 km away from Bhopal. They danced to the tune of religious songs while holding religious flags in their hands.

PTI

For the second year in a row, the New Year's eve celebrations remained muted in Mumbai in view of the order prohibiting public gatherings at popular places amid the rise in new COVID-19 cases. Mumbaikars' favourite destinations like the Gateway of India, Marine Drive and seafronts at Dadar, Girgaon and Juhu wore almost a deserted look as police personnel deployed at these places and on streets ensured that the prohibitory order was implemented strictly, an official said on Saturday. Police personnel were seen asking people to vacate these spots through the public announcement system before the 5 PM deadline on Friday. "This is an appreciation post for you Mumbai. These deserted and silent streets speak volumes about your concern for the city and its safety. What a perfect welcome to 2022," Mumbai Police tweeted on Friday night.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he is optimistic that the Covid-19 pandemic will be defeated in 2022, provided countries work together to contain its spread. He warned that continuing inequity in vaccine distribution was increasing the risk of the virus evolving.

"Narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding by some countries have undermined equity and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the longer inequity continues, the higher the risks of the virus evolving in ways we can't prevent or predict," he said.

"If we end inequity, we end the pandemic," he added.

Delhi reported 1,796 COVID19 cases on Friday. The positivity rate is at 2.44%. No Covid1-19 deaths were reported. However, the number of cases is rapidly increasing, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said.

The Tamil Nadu government has imposed fresh restrictions against Covid-19 from January 1, Chief Minister's office said in a statement on Friday.

• Physical classes for students up to eighth grade will not be held till January 10.
• Commercial establishments will be permitted entry for only 50 per cent of the capacity and only 100 people will be allowed for marriage functions. The attendance at funerals will be restricted to 50.
• All kinds of exhibitions will be postponed and social, cultural, and political gatherings will be restricted.
• Chief Minister in the statement said that dine-in services at restaurants will be allowed with 50 per cent occupancy.
• Hostels, lodges, gyms can function only with 50 per cent of customers, the statement said. The Department of Public health in a statement on Friday said that Tamil Nadu has now reported 120 Omicron cases.

Tamil Nadu health department will be inoculating 33.2 lakh students with Covaxin from January 3 onwards. All the children will be administered the vaccine following ICMR guidelines, the state Public health department said in a statement. Vaccination camps will be organised on school campuses or parents can take children to the nearby primary health centres where Covaxin is stocked up.

As many as 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra, said, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. 

"If the number of COVID patients keep increasing in the state then the government may have to impose more restrictions,," he added.

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Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya visited the RT-PCR screening centre at the Ahmedabad international airport in Gujarat and interacted with passengers and officials. India has mandated additional measures, including testing, for the passengers arriving at airports from "at-risk" countries.
A facility has also been set up at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. As per the airport authorities, the facility with a waiting area sufficient for 220 passengers, 17 registration counters, eight sampling booths, including 120 RT-PCR machines, has been set up for such passengers. 

"During my Gujarat visit, I took stock of the RT-PCR screening center at the Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel International Airport and interacted with the passengers," the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare tweeted on Friday night.

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Karnataka reported 23 new cases of Omicron, taking the tally to 66, Health Minister K. Sudhakar said. Among the 23, 19 are international travellers from the US, Europe, Middle East and Africa, he said. The state Health Department has managed to track all their primary and secondary contacts,

Omicron has started replacing the Delta variant in the country in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases and 80 per cent of international travellers who tested positive have this new variant, official sources told PTI. However, a third of all the detected cases were mildly symptomatic, and the rest were asymptomatic, they said.

Haryana on Friday saw the biggest single-day jump of 26 cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus that pushed its tally of such infections to 63, according to a health department bulletin. On Thursday, the state had reported 23 Omicron cases. Of the total 63 cases, 23 are active while the rest have been discharged, the bulletin stated.

"Don't be lulled by the narrative that third wave or Omicron wave is mild and not fatal. It's equally fatal for those who are not vaccinated and have comorbidities. So please improve vaccination coverage and save lives," Dr Pradeep Vyas said.

"Based on the current trend of rising COVID cases in the state, it is expected that we will have about 2 lakh active cases by 3rd week of January 2022. Separate instructions issued for managing these numbers, in case some of them need hospitalization," Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Dr Pradeep Vyas, Govt of Maharashtra.

As much as 55 per cent out of 282 samples of coronavirus patients from Mumbai, sent for genome sequencing, have tested positive for the Omicron variant, the civic body said. This was the seventh batch of samples sent to a lab at the Kasturba Hospital of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, a BMC release said. Out of 282 samples, 156 (55 per cent) were found to be of Omicron variant, 89 (32 per cent) of Delta Derivative and 37 (13 per cent) of Delta variant. Only one of these patients, a senior citizen infected with the Delta Derivative, died, the BMC said.

Gujarat reported 16 new cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the tally of such cases in the state to 113. Ten Omicron-infected patients also recovered during the day. Of 16 new cases, six were reported from Ahmedabad, three each from Surat city and Anand, and one each from Junagadh, Amreli, Bharuch and Banaskantha. Of total 113 persons found infected with the new variant, 54 have recovered, while 59 are still under treatment. No Omicron patient has died in Gujarat so far.

Tamil Nadu Minister Ma Subramanian said the 76 cases of Omicron on Friday was an indication of community spread of the coronavirus strain in the State and that vaccination was the only solution to prevent its further spread. The Minister for Medical and Family Welfare, talking to reporters, said 34 students, including 10 girls, have tested Covid-19 positive in Chennai and were under treatment at a Covid Care Centre.