Omicron variant: International arrivals from UAE need not undergo 7-day home quarantine, RTPCR

Gujarat reported 10,150 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the state government on Sunday. With this, the cumulative caseload of the state stands at 9,26,240 including 63,610 active cases at present.

The Kerala Government on Sunday issued guidelines to start COVID-19 vaccination in schools for children aged between 15 and 18 years from January 19. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting attended by Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty and Health Minister Veena George today. In the meeting, it was decided that district task forces, with the help of the education department, will identify the schools where COVID-19 vaccination is to be conducted. Schools with more than 500 beneficiaries will be selected as vaccination sites.

Jammu and Kashmir logged 3,499 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the total active positive cases to 15,886 in the UT, stated the health bulletin on Sunday. A total of 1,210 new cases were reported from Jammu and 2,289 cases new cases from Kashmir. There was a total of 6 deaths due to COVID-19 in the state; 3 from Jammu and 3 from Kashmir, the health department stated.

Delhi reported 18,286 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday and 28 deaths. On Saturday, the national capital reported 20,718 fresh Covid-19 cases and 30 deaths. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was recorded at 27.87%.

Telangana on Sunday recorded 2,047 new COVID-19 cases and took the tally to 7,09,209. The death toll rose to 4,057 with three more fatalities. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of fresh cases with 1,174 followed by Medchal Malkajgiri (178) and Ranga Reddy (140) district, a bulletin said while providing details as of 5.30 PM today.

COVID-19 infections are soaring again at US nursing homes because of the omicron wave, and deaths are climbing too, leading to new restrictions on family visits and a renewed push to get more residents and staff members vaccinated and boosted.

Nursing homes were the lethal epicentre of the pandemic early on, before the vaccine allowed many of them to reopen to visitors last year.
But the wildly contagious variant has dealt them a setback.

India's 'R-value', which indicates how rapidly COVID-19 is spreading, was recorded at 2.2 between January 7 and 13, a drop from the previous two weeks, according to a preliminary analysis by IIT Madras. The R value of Mumbai was 1.3, Delhi 2.5, Chennai 2.4 and Kolkata 1.6, according to the analysis by IIT Madras' Department of Mathematics and Centre of Excellence for Computational Mathematics and Data Science headed by Prof Neelesh S Upadhye and Prof S Sundar.

Denmark lifted a number of coronavirus restrictions and allowed the reopening of certain venues Sunday despite the spread of the omicron variant in the country. Cinemas, zoos, museums and theatres were among the places that could welcome visitors again. Limited numbers of spectators also were allowed to attend indoor and outdoor sports events.

Around 40,000 teenagers in England will be eligible for a top-up booster dose to protect against COVID-19 as Britain's National Health Service (NHS) expands the booking service to 16 and 17 year olds from Monday. Previously, third doses were only recommended by the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to 18 and over and for clinically vulnerable teenagers most at risk from Covid-19.

Seventy per cent of India's adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 93 per cent received the first jab, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya while launching a postage stamp on indigenously developed vaccine Covaxin to mark one year of the inoculation drive. This is a proud moment for Indians and the entire world is amazed by the country's Covid inoculation drive, he said at the commemorative postage stamp release event.

Over Rs 3 crore has been levied as fine on violators of COVID curbs across Tamil Nadu and more than 300 vehicles have been seized for breach of night curfew in Chennai, police said on Sunday. For violation of restrictions including those related to night curfew and lockdown today, a fine of Rs 3.45 crore has been imposed on violators across the State in a week since January 7, the State police said.

Markets in Rajasthan remained closed on Sunday due to the curfew imposed by the state government in view of containing the spread of COVID-19.  However, stores selling milk, vegetables, perishable food items, dairy products and emergency services were exempted. In the wake of a surge in COVID- 19 infections, the government had on January 9 issued guidelines that included curfew from 11 pm on Saturday to 5 am on Monday and it came into effect late on January 15. “Directions have been issued to all superintendents of police to ensure strict enforcement of the guidelines,” an official of the home department said as the Sunday curfew has been reimposed after six months. Markets, offices, tourist spots, sanctuaries and tiger reserves remained closed.

Singapore’s Omicron wave is likely to see a fairly sharp peak in the near term, similar to what South Africa had witnessed last month, which could push the number of infections in the affluent city-state to around 15,000 cases a day, a media report said on Sunday. According to the Ministry of Health, 692 cases of the Omicron variant were reported in Singapore on Saturday, of which 541 were locally transmitted and 15 were imported. The number of COVID-19 cases have been steadily climbing in recent weeks here, with Omicron constituting a major proportion of the new infections on a daily basis.

The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday declared a holiday till January 31 for school students of standards 10-12 too in the wake of surging COVID cases. Examinations scheduled from January 19 for students of classes 10 and 12 have been postponed, the government said. While a holiday has already been declared for students of classes 1 to 9, physical classes are held in schools only for those in the 10-12 grades.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported 43 new COVID-19 cases, 30 less than the previous day, with the tally rising to 8,581, a health department official said on Sunday. Eighteen new patients have travel history, while 25 infections were detected during contact tracing, he said. Fifty-one more people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the archipelago to 7,989. The death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported during the period. The Union Territory now has 463 active cases.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported 43 new COVID-19 cases, 30 less than the previous day, with the tally rising to 8,581, a health department official said on Sunday. Eighteen new patients have travel history, while 25 infections were detected during contact tracing, he said. Fifty-one more people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the archipelago to 7,989. The death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported during the period. The Union Territory now has 463 active cases.

In light of the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday ordered that all schools and colleges will remain closed till January 23, 2022. On January 5, the Uttar Pradesh government had ordered to close all government and private schools for students up to class 10 till January 16. Several other states are also extending the closure of schools due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Madurai roads were empty and markets deserted today as the city observed lockdown as part of complete lockdown on all Sundays in Tamil Nadu, amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful completion of one year of India's Covid vaccination drive and said the country has set an example for the world how the government and the people together can conquer impossible challenges.

"With the efficient leadership, determination and constant efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, India has set an example in the world that if the government and citizens unite in the interest of the nation and set a common goal, then the country can overcome the impossible and conquer every challenge," he tweeted in Hindi with a hashtag one year of vaccine drive.

"I congratulate the talented scientists, health workers, all corona warriors and citizens on the successful completion of one year of the world's largest free vaccination campaign in the fight against Covid under the strong and inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji," Shah said in another tweet.

India added 2,71,202 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,71,22,164, including 7,743 cases of the Omicron variant, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The country saw 1,702 new cases of Omicron variant, the highest in a single day so far, and an increase of 28.17 per cent since Saturday.

More than 158 crore vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Sunday in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. More than 158 crore (1,58,01,46,015) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category, the ministry informed in its press release today.

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Jharkhand government on Saturday decided to extend the present COVID-19 related restrictions in the state till January 31. Under the existing restrictions, which are in place since January 3, all educational institutions will remain closed but official work will be allowed with 50 per cent capacity. All stadiums, parks, gyms, swimming pools, tourist destinations will remain closed. A maximum of 100 people are allowed in gatherings for weddings and funerals. Markets will be shut down at 8 pm. Chemist shops, restaurants and bars are allowed to remain open. Religious places will remain open.

As many as 81 Mumbai policemen tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, informed police on Saturday. With this, the tally of positive police personnel rose to 1,312 in the city. A total of 126 personnel have died so far from the infection, said the Mumbai police.

Dr Pradeep Vyas, additional chief secretary of the health department, in a letter written to his colleagues on Wednesday, said that the Delta variant was found in 68 per cent samples, out of the over 4,200 analysed, while the remaining 32 per cent patients were found infected with the Omicron strain. 

"Since November 1 last year, the samples of 4,265 COVID-19 patients were sent for genome sequencing. The results of 4,201 cases have been issued, which indicate that Omicron variant was detected in 1,367 cases or in 32 per cent, while the prevalence of Delta variant was found in the remaining 68 per cent cases," Dr Vyas said in the letter.

It also said that of the 2,40,133 active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra till Wednesday (January 12), 90 per cent patients were in home isolation or in COVID Care Centres.

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Odisha’s COVID-19 caseload mounted to 11,22,735 on Saturday with 10,856 fresh infections, while two more fatalities pushed the death toll to 8,478, the Health Department said in a bulletin. The state also reported 32 new Omicron cases taking the tally of the new strain of coronavirus in Odisha to 202, a health department official said.

 Jharkhand on Saturday reported its first 14 Omicron cases, a senior official said. "Fourteen Omicron cases have been confirmed in Jharkhand," Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Arun Kumar Singhsaid. He said that the 14 cases were among 87 samples sent to Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) in Bhubaneswar on January 1 for genome sequencing. One Delta variant and 32 variants of concern were also detected, Singh said.