Stating that the Omicron variant has been reported in 91 countries in the world, the health ministry added that WHO has said that Omicron is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low.
Kareena Kapoor Khan had tested positive for the deadly virus on December 13 after attending a gathering at filmmaker Karan Johar's house on December 8. Amrita Arora, Seema Khan and Maheep Kapoor, who too were present there had also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Over 135.25 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
A 34-year old returnee from South Africa has tested positive for Omicron in Karnataka.
The active cases have increased to 94,742 comprising 0.27 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.36 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the Health Ministry said.
The new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation from South Africa on November 25.
The swab sample of the doctor was taken on November 22 and sent to the NCBS. After detection of the Omicron variant, his 13 primary contacts and 205 secondary contacts were tracked.
Dr Gautam Bhansali said that the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly in 34 countries of the world, including India, but so far no severe symptom or death has been seen in a single patient. He added that the patients are showing symptoms of flu, body pain, vomiting, diarrhoea.
Over 126.53 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
Stating that the people with the best immunity against the virus are the people with a hybrid immunity, Anurag Agrawal said, India's largest population has the immunity.
Over 125.75 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
While the South African population comprises many who have previously contracted Covid-19, the previous infection is not believed to protect against Omicron. Know more about it here!
Covid variant Omicron was first detected from a sample taken on November 8 in southern Africa's Botswana. It was officially notified on November 24 and within two days, it was designated as Variant of Concern (VoC) by the World Health Organisation.
Over 124.96 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
Meanwhile, South Africa on Monday said that it will remain on the lowest 'Level One' of its five-level lockdown strategy to fight the Covid-19 pandemic
Earlier, two South African nationals had tested positive for Covid-19. After genome sequencing, authorities stated that they had been infected with the delta variant, and not the new Omicron variant.
WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution met on Friday and designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern and named it Omicron.
The Maharashtra government has also said that any individual who will fail to follow the issued protocol shall be fined Rs. 500 for each instance of default.
n September, the Government of India had submitted a detailed affidavit in the Supreme Court mentioning that it will pay Rs 50,000 as ex gratia to the families of those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The total active cases of COVID in India have declined to 1,11,481, the health ministry data showed.
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