Omicron Variant: Mumbai reports nearly 500 new Covid cases in single day rise | Updates

14 more Omicron cases have been reported in Telangana, taking the total number of cases of the new coronavirus variant in the State to 38, the State Health Department said on Wednesday. Of the 14 cases, 12 are passengers who arrived at the international airport from countries other than those declared at risk by the Centre, while two are from "at risk" countries, it said in a bulletin.

Nine persons, including six women, were found infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus in Gujarat on Wednesday, officials of the state health Department said. With this, the state's overall count of Omicron cases has reached 23. Of these patients, four have already been discharged from hospitals following their recovery, while 19 are undergoing treatment.

Till now, seven Omicron cases have emerged in Ahmedabad city, three cases each in Jamnagar city, Anand, Mehsana, and Vadodara city, two in Surat city, and one each in Gandhinagar city and Rajkot district, said a release by the health department.

Two foreign returnees test positive for Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal, says Health officials.

A 23-year-old woman who had returned from Scotland has tested positive for Omicron, said Dr. Tripti Bahuguna, Director General, Health.

Now, total Omicron positive cases in Gujarat have reached 23.

In the past 24 hours, Mumbai has reported 490 new cases of coronavirus while 229 have recovered from the disease.

The government of Haryana has made the second dose of Covid-19 vaccination mandatory from January 1, 2022. Moreover, it has decided to allow only fully vaccinated people at public places since that day. Only fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to travel from bus stands and railway stations.

Four more patients infected with Omicron variant of coronavirus have been found in Jaipur out of whom a foreigner is undergoing treatment in Delhi. Principal of SMS Medical College, Jaipur, Dr Sudhir Bhandari told reporters here that genome sequence test has confirmed four people to be infected with the Omicron variant.

6 persons who reached Ernakulam and 3 who reached Thiruvananthapuram were found infected with the variant. The total number of omicron cases in the state stands at 24, says Kerala Health Minister Veena George. "In Ernakulam, 2 people reached from UK, a woman & a boy had reached from Tanzania, another woman had reached from Ghana & one more woman reached from Ireland & had tested positive for the variant. In Trivandrum, a husband, wife & another woman reached from Nigeria," she said.

India hands over 10 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Myanmar Red Cross Society, amid Omicron threat across the world.

Delhi logged 125 Covid cases in a day with a positivity rate of 0.20 per cent while there was zero death due to the viral infection, according to data shared by the Delhi health department here on Wednesday. With this, the total COVID-19 cases reported in the city so far increased to 14,42,515. Of these, over 14.16 lakh have recuperated from the disease, the department said.

The Government of Punjab issues orders that no salary would be given to government employees without vaccination certificates.

Till now, no Omicron case detected in Haryana. The state govt is geared to combat the spread of Omicron variant and also to deal with any surge in the number of COVID cases. 3,11,86,292 vaccine doses administered till December 19 in the State: State Health Minister Anil Vij.

Genome sequencing of samples of all COVID-19-infected people in Delhi began on Wednesday to ascertain if the new Omicron variant has spread in the community, city Health Minister Satyendar Jain said. The national capital is recording around 100-125 cases a day, while it has the capacity of genome sequencing of 400-500 samples daily. "The Delhi government-run labs at the Lok Nayak Hospital and the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences can sequence 100 samples each day. Two Centre-run labs in Delhi can sequence 200-300 samples a day. So, 400-500 samples can be analysed in a day, Jain said. "Around 100 to 125 new cases are emerging every day. Samples of all COVID-19 patients will be sequenced from Wednesday. Through this, we will be able to ascertain the number of cases from society. Till now, the maximum number of (Omicron) cases have come from foreign countries (sic)," he told reporters. Jain had said Tuesday that three Omicron patients in Delhi had no travel history. The total number of Omicron cases in the national capital mounted to 54, according to data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday. Following a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that samples of all Covid-positive patients would be sent for genome sequencing. Minister Jain said the government will take steps to prevent crowding during Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations. 

In my opinion, booster is a must. When you have two doses of any vaccine your protection level, especially after 3 to 6 months goes down. If you have a third dose or a booster then the chance of having a severe infection, hospitalization reduces. We have to consider this in the context of the Omicron in India. I think the health care workers and frontline workers must get a booster and also to people having some comorbidities. I think govt must be thinking about it: Dr SK Sarin, Director, ILBS Delhi. 

Rajasthan: Four more patients of Omicron variant have been found in Jaipur.  The two patients, residents of Jawahar Nagar, were admitted to RUHS for further medical treatment. 

Maharashtra: If Omicron cases continue to rise, we may take a call to shut the schools again. We are monitoring the situation: School Education minister Professor Varsha Eknath Gaikwad. 

Second Omicron case detected in Andhra Pradesh. A 39-year-old woman who came from Kenya to Chennai, and then travelled to Tirupati, tested positive for Covid-19 on December 12. Her sample sent for genome sequencing declared Omicron positive today. Her family members tested negative: State government. 

PM Modi convenes emergency meeting tomorrow as cases of new Covid strain rise:  GoI sources

India reports 6,317 new cases, 318 deaths and 6,906 recoveries in the last 24 hours; Active caseload currently stands at 78,190; lowest in 575 days. Omicron case tally at 213. Out of the total 213 Omicron cases, Delhi and Maharashtra have reported 57 and 54 cases, respectively. Till now, 90 patients have been discharged after recovery: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

 Till now, 90 patients have been discharged after recovery: 

UK Boris Johnson says he would not introduce new COVID-19 restrictions in England before Christmas, but the situation remained extremely difficult and the government might need to act afterwards: Reuters.

Omicron cases are rising but not at an alarming rate as we witness during Delta (outbreak). Nevertheless, number of tests is going up and there is no need to panic. The district is going to achieve 100% second dose vaccination in a day or two: Bengaluru Urban DC J Manjunath.