Coronavirus Omicron India Highlights | Haryana govt employees/officers to attend office on regular basis from February 9

West Bengal on Tuesday reported 736 new COVID-19 cases, which pushed the tally to 20,07,249, the health department said in its bulletin. Thirty-two more people died of the infection including nine in Paschim Bardhaman, five in the city, and four in North 24 Parganas which raised the toll to 20,884, the bulletin said. At least 1,559 people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 19,70,356. The discharge rate stood at 98.16 percent and the fatality rate at 1.04 percent.

The Haryana Chief Minister's Flying Squad has raided a diagnostic lab accused of preparing fake coronavirus reports, officials said on Tuesday. The team nabbed a lab assistant while the operator managed to flee.The lab allegedly charged Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 to issue COVID-19 positive or negative reports. They also charged Rs 900 for Covid test even as the rate of the test is capped at Rs 299 when a person opts to get it done at a lab.

Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 6,107 new coronavirus cases, 329 less than the day ago, and 57 fresh deaths linked to the infection, while 16,035 more patients recovered from the disease, the state health department said. With these additions, the overall tally of COVID-19 cases increased to 78,16,243, while the death toll jumped to 1,43,155, the department said in a bulletin.As per the bulletin, the number of recovered cases in Maharashtra increased to 75,73,069 after 16,035 patients were discharged during the day, leaving the state with 96,069 active cases.On Monday, the state had recorded 6,436 new cases and 24 fatalities

Mumbai reports 447 new COVID19 cases, 798 recoveries, and 1 death in the last 24 hours. Active cases 4,783

Delhi reports 1,114 new cases, 12 fatalities, and 2,079 recoveries in the last 24 hours; Active cases stand at 6,908

Meghalaya on Tuesday recorded 158 new COVID-19 cases, 86 more than the previous day, with the tally mounting to 92,521, a health department official said. The death toll rose to 1,552 as four more people succumbed to the disease, he said. Of the fresh cases, 52 were reported from East Khasi Hills, 35 from West Garo Hills, 21 from West Jaintia Hills and 17 from Ri Bhoi. The remaining infections were registered in eight other districts. Meghalaya now has 1,208 active cases, Health Services Director Dr Aman War said.

Karnataka reports 4,452 new COVID-19 cases, 19,067 recoveries, and 51 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active cases at 72,414.

Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday said 90 per cent of Karnataka is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with both vaccine doses. "90% of Karnataka is now fully vaccinated with both doses! Two districts- Bengaluru Rural and Vijayapura- have achieved 100% second dose coverage. Congrats to all the health workers and district administration involved in this," the minister tweeted.

The data shared by him showed that Gadag and Kodagu achieved 98 per cent and Mysuru, Chikkaballapura, Kolar, Mandya and Hassan achieved 94 per cent double dose vaccination. There were 13 districts, which achieved below 90 per cent including Kalaburagi, which achieved the least -- 83 per cent of double dose vaccination.Three districts -- Yadgir, Koppal and Tumakuru -- achieved the average of 90 per cent.

Schools inHaryanawill reopen from Feb 10 for classes 1 to 9. Online classes will also continue.

Union Health MinisterMansukhMandaviyaon Tuesday said there has been 5.33 lakh deaths so far from the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. He also informed that insurance claims worth Rs 808 crore have been paid under the 'PradhanMantriGaribKalyan Package' (PMGKP) insurance scheme, launched on March 30, 2020, to families of 1,616 healthcare workers who died while being involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Replying to a supplementary question asked by Congress MP K CVenugopalrelated toCoviddeaths inRajyaSabha,Mandaviyasaid health is a state subject and the related data is collected by the states and then reported to the central government. He said the World HealthOrganisationhas issued guidelines on collecting the data on COVID-19 deaths.

Based on these guidelines, the Centre has created a platform and asked the states to submit the data on COVID-19 deaths on it, he added. "So far, all the state governments have submitted data of 5.33 lakh deaths from COVID-19,"Mandaviyasaid.

Kerala reports 29,471 newcovidcases, & 28 deaths in last 24 hrs. 205 deaths which were not added due to lack of documentation and 591deaths as per the new guidelines of central government were added to thecoviddeath list: State Government

Multiple studies have been conducted globally to assess the transmission of Omicron and to compare the transmissibility with the previous variants of concerns and it was found that the rate of its spread is higher than the previous COVID-19 variants, theRajyaSabhawas told on Tuesday. A comparative study carried out by Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology has shown that vaccine induced antibodies have reduced ability to neutralize Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, Minister of State for HealthBharatiPravinPawarsaid in a written reply.

The Government of India continues to keep a close watch over coronavirus infection situation in the country to prevent and mitigate the impact of any resurgence of COVID-19 trajectory in the country, he said. Also, the Centre is supporting states andUTsin their endeavor to manage COVID-19 since the beginning of pandemic,Pawarsaid.

Given the emergence of mutated variants with variable impact on transmissibility, virulence and effectiveness of vaccines, likelihood of resurgence of COVID-19 trajectory in the country is monitored by various expert committees underICMR, Directorate General of Health Services and other relevant Ministries/Departments, he said. The Union Ministry of Health keeps a close watch over COVID-19 situation across the country and globally, the written reply said.