Omicron Variant Updates: Maharashtra reports 50% spike in fresh cases; 8 deaths today

Gautam Buddh Nagar on Friday logged 61 new COVID-19 infections – highest in Uttar Pradesh, pushing the number of active cases in the district to 190, official data showed.

Ghaziabad, adjoining Gautam Buddh Nagar, also recorded 34 new cases that pushed its tally of active infections to 118, according to the data shared by the state's health department for a 24-hour period.

Gautam Buddh Nagar currently has the highest number of active cases in UP followed by Lucknow (152) and Ghaziabad, the statistics showed.
On Friday, Uttar Pradesh had 862 active cases of COVID-19, up from 645 on Thursday and 473 on Wednesday, according to the official figures.

So far, Gautam Buddh Nagar has recorded 468 deaths due to Covid, while Ghaziabad has logged 461 such fatalities.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in Pune city touched 5.9 per cent on Friday after 412 cases were detected following the testing of 6,944 samples, an official said.

This addition took the tally within civic limits to 5,10,218, though no death was reported during the day, he said.

There has been a steady rise in the infection count in Maharashtra's second-largest city and authorities have issued orders putting an attendance cap of 50 for marriages etc and 20 for funerals along with other curbs to reduce crowding.

Out of 156 people infected with Omicron, only 9 needed hospital treatment: Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

Mumbai reports 5,631 fresh COVID cases (4,223 asymptomatic), 548 recoveries, and one death today 

Active cases: 16,441 
Total recoveries:749707
Death toll: 16,376

On December 30, the city recorded 3,671 infections

With Tamil Nadu witnessing a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, the state government on Friday imposed a number of restrictions, including putting a cap on attendees of marriage and death-related events and halving the number of customers in different types of commercial establishments.

Tamil Nadu reported 1,155 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, up from the 890 a day before.

Read full story here: Tamil Nadu govt announces new restrictions till Jan 31 as Covid cases rise | 10 points
 

Despite many curbs induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in year 2021, the ancient hill-shrine of Lord Sri Venkateswara at Tirumala, near here, saw over 10 million devotees from across the country and abroad visiting the abode of the Lord, a temple official said.

During the pre-pandemic days till 2019, about 25 million devotees used to throng the over two millennia-old shrine. After the coronavirus struck, the rush has considerably come down, the official told PTI.

In 2021, the hundi (offering box) netted a total cash of about Rs. 833 crore apart from gold and other precious offerings while the temple fetched Rs 300 crore through sale of laddus, he said, adding that 48.75 lakh devotees got tonsured after fulfilment of vows. 

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the state's preparedness amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, and said "concrete steps" will be taken next week to deal with the emerging situation.

At the meeting, Soren directed officials to ensure that the 2.41 crore adult population of the state is vaccinated within January 15, and take steps to increase the daily testing from around 35,000 at present to a lakh.

"After conducting a review meeting again next week, assessing all the aspects of the increasing cases of corona infection, the state government will take concrete steps, as required," an official statement quoting the chief minister said.

Jharkhand saw a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases with 482 infections detected on Thursday. Of that, state capital Ranchi itself reported 246 cases. The number of active cases in the state rose to 1,371.

Soren also appealed to the people to celebrate the New Year with restraint, urging them to follow social distancing norms and other guidelines.

An Israeli newspaper reported that the case of double infection was found in a woman who entered the Rabin Medical Center this week to give birth.

Read More HERE

Covid patients unable to give information about their contacts and activities that could have led them to contract the virus and people hiding details are some of the stumbling blocks for surveillance teams engaged in contact tracing, amid rising cases of the coronavirus and its variant Omicron here.

Delhi on Thursday recorded 1,313 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day spike since May 26, as the positivity rate mounted to 1.73 per cent.
Of the 23 states and Union territories that have recorded Omicron cases so far, Maharashtra has registered the highest number of 450, followed by Delhi (320), Kerala (109) and Gujarat (97).

The Delhi government has put special impetus on the ‘Test, Track and Treat’ strategy with a focus on surveillance, de-alienation of containment zones, isolation of positive cases and close monitoring of home isolation cases so as to break the chain of transmission.

Officials have warned revellers in Scotland and Wales to think twice before travelling to England to ring in the new year, highlighting how the four parts of the UK were again taking starkly different approaches to coronavirus restrictions amid record-high infections and soaring hospitalizations.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resisted tightening restrictions in England despite the rapid spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant, instead focusing on frequent self-testing and an expanded vaccine booster program to control the spread of infections.

Meanwhile Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set their own public health rules, imposed new restrictions this week that closed all nightclubs and limited social gatherings. Bars and pubs have had to return to table service only. In Edinburgh, which traditionally hosts one of Europe's largest New Year's Eve parties, people have been urged to stay at home.

While no formal travel ban is in place to stop Scottish party-goers from making their way to England on Friday, Scotland's deputy leader John Swinney said travelling would be the “wrong course of action”.

Opinions have been divided on whether Johnson's Conservative government was taking a risky gamble in not enforcing tougher coronavirus measures in England as the omicron variant drove infections to record high numbers.

West Bengal's new Covid-19 cases rise 62 % on Friday as tally goes up to 3,451, including 1,954 in Kolkata

Maharashtra Minister Yashomati Thakur says he has tested positive for COVID-19

• Sikkim announces new restrictions till January 10, 2022 amid Omicron threat
• Pubs, discos, cinema halls, restaurants, fast food centres, bakeries, gymnasiums, barbershops, spas, and salons to operate with only 50% of seating capacity. 
• Hotels, homestays, guest houses are also now required to operate with only 50% capacity.
• All social & political gatherings are to be organised with prior permission from DC and 50% space capacity

Kerala reports 2,676 Covid-19 fresh infections, 11 deaths and 2,742 recoveries; Active cases at 19,416, death toll 47,794.

Pune reports 412 fresh COVID19 cases on Friday, active cases 1,799: Pune Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra

34 fresh COVID19 cases reported in Dharavi in the last 24 hours, active cases in the area rise to 95, says Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

The cyber and information security division of MHA has issued an advisory that reads: "Cybercriminals are taking advantage of lowering of cyber defences due to the shift of focus to the health crisis. Cybercriminals are always finding new ways to defraud citizens. As nowadays Omicron variant themed cybercrimes are increasing every day. Cybercriminals are employing various tactics to perpetrate cybercrimes to capitalize on the rapidly evolving situation to defraud innocent victims." Further, it mentioned that fraudsters send emails regarding PCR testing for Omicron with the attached malicious links and malicious files.

Nagpur logs 90 Corona cases in last 24 hours

The tour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum will remain closed from Saturday, as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.

The Change of Guard ceremony will also not take place till further notice, a statement issued on Friday by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

"As a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19, tour of Rashtrapati Bhavan and Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum will remain closed from tomorrow (January 1, 2022) till further notice," it said.

India saw the highest single-day rise of 309 cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, taking the country's tally of such cases to 1,270, the Union health ministry said on Friday.

It also recorded 16,764 fresh COVID-19 cases and 220 more fatalities due to the viral disease.

"Total 44 new Omicron cases reported in Kerala today, taking the total tally to 107. Genomic sequencing samples are being sent, sentinel surveillance underway. So far, 98% eligible population has been inoculated with 1st dose, 79% with 2nd dose," Kerala Health Minister Veena George. ALSO READ

Omicron has started replacing Delta variant in India: Official Sources

Rajasthan: A 73-year-old man who was tested positive for Covid's Omicron strain on December 15, died today. Later, he was tested negative two times, so this will not be called a COVID death but a post-COVID death: Dr Dinesh Kharadi, Chief Medical and Health Officer Udaipur Division.

The first Omicron case has been reported in the state. People have to remain alert and vigilant. We will hold a meeting today evening on the rising number of Covid19 cases, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

75-year-old man, who died in Udaipur, was admitted to hospital on December 15. "A 73-year-old man who was tested positive for Covid's Omicron strain on Dec 15, died today. Later, he was tested negative two times, so this will not be called a Covid death but a post-Covid death," Dr Dinesh Kharadi, Chief Medical and Health Officer Udaipur Division

Till now, we have received 360 patients out of which 110 were Omicron affected. 89 of these patients have been discharged. All are stable. Not a single patient required ICU support because their oxygen saturation level was perfectly normal: Dr Suresh Kumar, LNJP, MD, Delhi

COVID-19: India reports 16,764 new cases, 7,585 recoveries and 220 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active caseload currently stands at 91,361. Recovery Rate is currently at 98.36%. Omicron case tally stands at 1,270.

International passengers testing positive for COVID upon arrival at the IGI Airport to isolate at institutional  designated paid and free facilities set up by in various districts: Delhi Government. 

Government of Karnataka: In view of increasing COVID cases, prohibitory order within the limits of Bengaluru City Comissionerate shall remain with revised timings from 18:00 hours (6 pm)  of 31-12-2021 to 05:00 hours (5:00 am) of 01-01-2022.

Government of Maharashtra: In an amended order, not more than 50 persons allowed at weddings, gatherings in both enclosed and open spaces; 20 people allowed at last rites (funerals). While in public places like beaches, open grounds, if deemed appropriate Section 144 may be imposed. 

COVID-19 vaccination drive for students in 15 to 18 year age group to start from 3rd January 2022: Government of Assam. We are starting from 3rd January to vaccinate children under the 15-18 age group; will begin with educational institutions: Keshab Mahanta, Assam Health Minister.