Omicron Variant: Maharashtra reports nearly 1700 new Covid cases, 31 infected with Omicron

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said that the ruling BJP was trying to use the excuse of rising COVID-19 cases to postpone assembly election in Uttar Pradesh as it was “staring at defeat”.

With 19 more people testing positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Kerala, the total number of infections by the new variant in the state reached 57, the Health Department said on Sunday.

Of the 19 cases, 11 were detected in Ernakulam, six in Thiruvananthapuram and one each in Thrissur and Kannur.

Of the 19, four each had come from the UK and UAE, two each from Qatar and Ireland and one each from Spain, Canada, Netherlands and Ghana, a Health Department release said.

The remaining three got infected via contact. The department advised everyone to be extra vigilant in view of the rise in Omicron cases in the State.

Two more people, including an 80-year-old man, were found to be infected with Omicron, taking the total cases of the latest variant of coronavirus reported in the city so far to three.

Of the three cases, two have been discharged and there is now only one active Omicron case in the city, according to an official statement.
It stated that samples of five family contacts of the previous Omicron positive case were sent for genome sequencing to the National Centre for Disease Control in Delhi.

Two of these were found to be positive for the Omicron variant, it said.

Of these two, the 80-year old male suffers from hypertension. However, he is asymptomatic and has been isolated in a hospital, the statement said.
It said the octogenarian was tested on December 24 and was found positive for the omicron variant. He will be re-tested on January 1, the statement said.

The other Omicron positive case was a 45-year-old man. He tested negative for coronavirus on December 24 and was discharged, it said.

Himachal Pradesh reported its first case of Omicron on Sunday in Mandi district, an official here said. The latest coronavirus variant was found in a 45-year-old asymptomatic woman, who was tested positive for COVID-19 on December 12. Her RT-PCR test was conducted at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital here.

A resident of Lower Khaliar in Mandi, the woman had arrived in India from Canada on December 3 and was home isolated for 14 days, state Health Secretary Amitabh Avasthi said.

Thereafter, her sample was sent on December 18 for genome sequencing to the NCDC in New Delhi to ascertain whether it is Omicron, Avasthi said.
The report from Delhi that came on Sunday confirmed she had been infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19, he said.

Three more Omicron cases were reported in Telangana on Sunday, taking the total number of cases of the new coronavirus variant in the state to 44.
Of the total cases, 10 recovered leaving the active cases at 34, a health bulletin said.

Two passengers who arrived at the international airport here from countries other than those declared "at risk" by the Centre, tested positive of the Omicron variant while the other one was due to contact.

Meanwhile, 109 new cases were added to Telangana's COVID-19 tally, which rose to 6,80,662 while the toll touched 4,022 with one two more fatality in the last 24 hours.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 69 followed by Rangareddy district 10, the health bulletin said, providing details as of 5.30 PM today.

The number of recoveries outnumbered fresh cases with 190 people recovering from the infectious disease. The cumulative number of recoveries till date was 6,73,223.

Gujarat on Sunday reported 177 new cases, 66 recoveries, and no deaths, as per health department update. Total active cases in the state are 948 including 49 Omicron.

Maharashtra reports 1648 new Covid cases, including 31 with Omicron variant, 17 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Night curfew has been imposed in Delhi from tomorrow from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM, in view of the rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases, government said on Sunday.

At least 48 students and 3 staff of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Takli Dhokeshwar, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra found positive for COVID-19, informed District Magistrate Rajendra Bhosale.

A total of 51 Omicron patients were admitted out of which 40 have been successfully discharged. The majority of patients were asymptomatic & recovered without any medications. None of the patients was given oxygen support, steroid or Remdesivir, said Dr Suresh Kumar MD LNJP, Delhi.

Andhra Pradesh on Sunday reported two more cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, taking the tally to six, official sources said. The two new cases were reported from Anantapuram and Prakasam districts, and both persons arrived from foreign countries, the Director of Public Health said in a statement.

A 48 year-old male who recently came from South Africa to Hyderabad and then to Ongole on December 16 tested COVID-19 positive on December 20.
His samples were sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, for genome sequencing, it said.

He was declared positive of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on December 25.

Himachal Pradesh reports the first case of Omicron. The person had returned from Canada on December 18. The patient's latest RTPCR is negative and her three close contacts have also tested negative, State Health Department said.

8 new cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus have been found at Indore in Madhya Pradesh, state Home Narottam Mishra said on Sunday. This is the first time that the MP government has reported cases of the new virus variant in the state.

"Eight Omicron cases have been found in Indore. Out of these patients, six have recovered and have been discharged while two are undergoing treatment,” Mishra, who is the state government's spokesman, told reporters.

Four new Omicron cases have been reported in Odisha who are foreign returnees (2 from Nigeria, 1 from UAE & 1 from Saudi Arabia). The total number of Omicron cases now stand at 8, said Director Public Health Niranjan Mishra.

Vaccination will start for kids from 15 to 18 years of age in the state from 3 January. A total of 43 lakh kids will be given vaccination. Section 144 will be imposed in the state from 28th December for ten days from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. A total of 75% of the eligible population has been administered with 2nd dose of vaccine. The administration of preventive dose will start from 10 Jan for those with comorbidities and above 60 yrs of age: Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K

With the administration of 32,90,766 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeds 141.37Crore. The recovery rate of 98.40% is the highest since March'20. Weekly positivity Rate at 0.62% remains less than 1% from last 42 days: Union Health Ministry.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai holds a meeting with cabinet colleagues and officials to discuss measures to control the spread of the Omicron variant.

We welcome the Centre government's decision on boosters for 60+, frontline staff; vaccines for 15-18 years. Booster dose amid Omicron scare is need of the hour: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

A total of around 422 Omicron cases were reported in 17 States/UTs of India so far. The number of persons recovered is 130: Union Health Ministry.

Singapore is reporting rising Omicron cases due to the rapid spread of the variant, the Ministry of Health said on Saturday, confirming 448 infections till date, of which 369 arrived here or were imported. Ninety-eight new Omicron infections were confirmed on Saturday, comprising 73 imported cases and 25 local infections. "Given its high transmissibility, it is a matter of time before the Omicron variant spreads in our community," cautioned the ministry. "It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to come forward to receive your vaccination or booster dose when offered," Channel News Asia quoted the ministry as saying. The MOH cited an example of a vaccinated traveller who tested negative for COVID-19 on arrival from the United States on December 14 but was confirmed positive on December 18. He met a colleague here who subsequently visited The Vinyl Bar at 266 River Valley Road on December 17 on the outskirts of Central Business District, it said.

The Covid-19 Omicron variant started to spread in Turkey, especially in crowded provinces, and it accounts for over 10 per cent of the new cases in these cities, the Turkish health minister has said. "More than 10 per cent of new cases in our crowded provinces are caused by Omicron," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted. "Nothing to worry about. We have the necessary knowledge and pandemic experience," Xinhua news agency quoted the minister as saying. Stating that this variant does not require additional personal precautions and does not cause a significant increase in hospitalisations, Koca noted that the fight against the pandemic will continue with masks, distance rules and vaccines. Turkey on Saturday reported 20,470 new Covid-19 cases, raising its tally of infections to 9,286,986, according to the health ministry. The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 145 to 81,403, while 22,109 more people recovered in the last 24 hours. A total of 357,536 tests were conducted over the past day, it said.

We welcome the PM's announcement for COVID vaccine for children aged 15-18 and booster dose for healthcare and frontline workers. I have written to the PM, suggesting that pediatricians and family physicians should be utilized in vaccinating children. Also, responding to question of which COVID vaccine would be given as booster shot, IMA chief JA Jayalal says, "As per mix and match policy, that IMA believes is good, if a person has taken Covaxin, he has to take Covishield and those who have taken Covishield has to take Covaxin."

It is a historical decision and will serve as a milestone in the fight against COVID-19 because the vaccine is the most effective preventive tool against this disease: Dr Ravi Malik, Director, Radix Healthcare on Government announcing booster shot and vaccines for children aged 15-18.

Israel on Saturday reported 591 new cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, according to the country's health ministry.It raised the total Omicron cases in Israel from 527 to 1,118, the ministry said.It added that 723 of all the infected are returning passengers from abroad. The ministry also reported another 861 cases with high suspicion of infection with the variant, but the results of their genomic sequencing tests have yet to be received. Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Israel has risen to 1,363,577 after 1,775 new cases were added. The death toll from the virus in Israel remained unchanged at 8,241, while the number of patients in serious condition increased from 88 to 90.

Omicron: All arrangements are in place to tackle any possible surge of COVID-19. Lockdown will not be imposed in Assam, says State Health Minister Keshab Mahanta.