Omicron LIVE Updates: Multiplex operators urge Delhi govt to allow cinema halls with riders

Multiplex operators have urged the Delhi government to reconsider its decision and allow them to operate cinema halls with certain riders such as the requirement of double vaccination to enter halls and restricting seating capacity to 50 per cent.  The national capital has reported 496 fresh COVID-19 cases in a day, the highest since June 4, with the positivity rate rising to 0.89 per cent along with one fatality due to the infection. 

Punjab bans entry of not fully vaccinated people from Jan 15 in public places, the official release of the state govt reads

After reporting less than 2,000 fresh COVID-19 cases for the last two days, Kerala logged 2,474 new infections on Tuesday, which took the caseload to 52,27,403 till date. Also, the State reported 244 deaths, which raised the toll to 47,066 so far, an official press release said.

District Disaster Management Authority of Leh lodged an FIR under Disaster Management Act against a person for hiding travel details, not cooperating with authorities& violating the home quarantine SOPs. 

13 students of a school in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh have been found COVID19 positive. 

Jaipur records 75 fresh Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

Indonesia on Tuesday announced its first locally transmitted Omicron case in capital Jakarta, pushing the government to be more vigilant in tracking the spread of the virus.

The Puducherry unit of the AIADMK on Tuesdaty urged the Chief Minister of the Union Territory N Rangasamy to ban New Year eve celebrations here as there was possibility of a fast-spreading Omicron, a new variant of Covid-19.

At least 18 female MBBS students of the Government Medical College at Miraj in Maharashtra's Sangli district have contracted coronavirus infection. The infected students were fully vaccinated. 

The UK government has decided not to impose further COVID-19 lockdown curbs before the New Year in England, even as the devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland continue with party and nightclub bans to contain the spread of the Omicron variant.

The COVID-19 death toll in Ladakh has climbed to 219 following a fatality in Leh, while 14 fresh cases pushed the overall infection tally to 22,105 in the union territory. All the 14 fresh cases were reported in Leh. The number of active cases has declined to 193 in the union territory -- 141 cases in Leh district and 52 in Kargil district.

All persons aged 60 yrs & above with co-morbidities will not be required to submit any certificate from the doctor, at the time of administration of precaution dose: Union Health Ministry

An 80 year-old man and a 20 year-old woman, both of whom did not have a travel history, have been infected with Omicron, the first two cases reported in the Union territory. The old man was a resident of the territory, while the woman was a college student and staying in a hostel.

COVID-19 restrictions under Yellow alert of Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi:

Night curfew 10 pm-5 am, Delhi Metro, restaurants, bars to operate at 50% capacity; Cinema halls, spas, gyms, multiplexes, banquet halls, auditoriums & sports complexes to be closed with immediate effect

Ministry of Health issues guidelines for vaccination of children aged between 15-18 years and precaution dose to healthcare and frontline workers, and those above the age of 60 with comorbidities

Union Health Ministry advises States/UTs to train vaccinators for the administration of vaccines to 15-18 yr olds. The Ministry says dedicated centres can be established for the same, and only Covaxin will be administered with proper training: Sources

The total number of cases of new Omicron variant of COVID-19 recorded in the national capital has mounted to 165, according to data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday. Amid the Omicron scare, Delhi recorded 331 fresh coronavirus cases, the highest single-day rise since June 9 and one death, on Monday, while the positivity rate mounted to 0.68 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department.

India has logged 653 cases of the Omicron variant across 21 states and UTs so far, out of which 186 people have recovered or migrated, showed the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of 167 such cases followed by Delhi at 165, Kerala 57, Telangana 55, Gujarat 49 and Rajasthan 46.

According to officials at Batra Hospital, five Omicron patients are admitted there, and seven patients are Covid positive, but their genome sequencing reports still awaited. Seven others have been discharged after testing negative for Omicron variant, they said.

We are 10 times more prepared than earlier to deal with rise in Covid cases in Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal

As the COVID-19 positivity rate has been above 0.5 per cent for the past few days, we are enforcing Level-I (Yellow alert) of the Graded Response Action Plan. A detailed order on restrictions to be implemented will be released soon: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has issued a nationwide level 3 warning after 514 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been detected.

The level 3 warning refers to an appeal for public cooperation to implement strict Covid-19 free setting, more antigen rapid test kit (AKT) screening before and after travelling, avoid crowds, as well as issue work-from-home policy if possible, reports Xinhua news agency.

China reported 200 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with 162 domestic transmissions, the largest daily increase in almost 20 months, the Global Times reported.

Among the 162 domestic cases, 150 were reported in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

From December 9 to Monday, the total number of confirmed cases in Xi'an was 635, Zhang Bo, deputy director of Xi'an health commission, told a press conference on Monday.

Xi'an, home to 12 million people, started a new round of nucleic acid testing on Monday, and tightened its lockdown by requiring all of its residents to stay at home to guarantee the accuracy of the test results, according to the Monday press conference.

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O' Brien Tuesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is presently at home isolation.

Brien ,who is TMC Rajya Sabha party leader, requested those who have come in contact with him in the last three days and have symptoms to seek medical advice.

"Have tested positive for #COVID Moderate symptoms. Isolating at home. If you have come into contact with me in the last three days, and have symptoms, please seek medical advice. (Was always ultra-careful. Yet.)," he tweeted. 

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has given emergency use authorization approval to COVID19 vaccines Covovax & Corbevax and Anti-viral drug Molnupiravir, says Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Eknath Gaikwad tests positive for COVID19 with mild symptoms

A total of 6,358 new COVID-19 cases were reported in India in the last 24 hours, taking the active caseload in the country to 75,456, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday. According to the Health Ministry, 653 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been reported in the country so far.

Out of this, Maharashtra topped the list with 167 cases followed by Delhi with 165 cases, Kerala with 57 cases and Telangana has confirmed 55 cases.

The active cases account for less than 1 per cent of total cases and is currently at 0.22 per cent, which is the lowest since March 2020.

With the recovery of 6,450 patients in the last 24 hours, the cumulative tally of recovered patients since the beginning of the pandemic has increased to 3,42,43,945.

With the administration of 72,87,547 vaccine doses in the last 24 hrs, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeds 142.47 Cr. The recovery rate of 98.40% is the highest since March'20. Weekly positivity Rate at 0.64% remains less than 1% from last 44 days: Union Health Ministry

Thane has added 211 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,72,439, while three more fatalities raised the death toll to 11,610, an official said on Tuesday.

These new cases and deaths were reported on Monday, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.03 per cent.

In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,39,193, while the death toll has reached 3,314, another official said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a high-level review meeting today on the prevailing COVID19 situation

British Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Monday no further coronavirus restrictions will be introduced in England before the new year, but urged people to stay cautious and celebrate outside if possible.

COVID-19 data has been patchy over the Christmas holiday, but the latest official figures showed 98,515 new infections were recorded in England on Monday and 143 people died with the virus.

The National Health Service in England reported that there were 1,281 coronavirus hospital admissions on Christmas Day, up more than 70 per cent compared to the previous week.

The French government announced new COVID-19 measures on Monday in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, yet stopped short of imposing drastic restrictions before New Year's Eve.

Starting from next week, big events will be limited to 2,000 people indoors and 5,000 people outdoors. People will be requested to sit down during concerts and customers won't be allowed to stand up in bars, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said.

Eating and drinking will be banned in cinemas, theaters, sport facilities and public transportation, including on long-distance routes. 

Working from home will be mandatory at least three days per week for employees whose job makes it possible, he added.

The new rules will be in place for at least three weeks, he said.

After reviewing all applications and data, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC), a body under India's drug regulator, has recommended granting the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Serum Institute of India's COVID-19 vaccine Covovax and Corbevax vaccine that is manufactured by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm Biological E, for those above 18 years of age. 

The EUA has been recommended for this age group with certain restrictions like the firms have to report after every 15 days about serious adverse events of its usage, official sources have informed. 

It is expected that the final approval will be soon given by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), official sources said. 

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday reviewed the COVID situation and preparedness to tackle its new variant 'Omicron' in the state. Directing the senior officials to take all proactive steps, Chief Minister said, "While Omicron is spreading all over the world, there have been 8 cases in Odisha. Its impact is likely to increase in coming weeks, so we have to be more careful and need to take steps to prevent it."

He advised all the concerned departments on the subject and said that special efforts should be made by the district administration to expedite the COVID-19 vaccination.

"All arrangements and facilities for the treatment established during the second wave should be re-activated it will be helpful to treat patients immediately," Patnaik said.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shortens the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to 5 days, if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others