Coronavirus Omicron India Highlights | India has recorded 71,365 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours-a tad higher than the daily cases reported a day before but the daily infections stayed under 1 lakh for the third day in a row.
This takes the total confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 4,24, 10, 976. Of the new cases, Kerala reported the highest 29,471 new cases followed by Maharashtra (6,107) and Tamil Nadu (4,519).
Only Kerala and Maharashtra reported daily infections upwards of the 5,000 mark. The active COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 8,92, 828, down from 9,94,891 a day before. This is the lowest number of active cases in India in the last 29 days.
A total of 1,217 COVID fatalities were also added in the last 24 hours taking the tally of confirmed deaths to 5,05, 279 but 591 of these were backlog deaths from Kerala which also reported the highest, 233 deaths, in a day. This, also means that India added over 1000 deaths, in the tally of fatalities for the second consecutive day.
The country also registered 1,72, 211 recoveries in the 24 hour period which too the total recoveries to 4,10, 12, 869 and the recovery rate for the country now is 96.70 per cent.
In what comes as a positive news though, the daily test positivity rate was 4.54 per cent in a day—the lowest in 35 days while the weekly positivity rate has also come down to 7.57 per cent. A total of 74.46 crore total tests have been conducted in the country so far of which 15,71,726 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.
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Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Gujarat logs 2,560 new COVID-19 cases, 24 fatalities
Gujarat on Wednesday reported 2,560 fresh coronavirus cases and 24 fatalities due to the infection, raising the tally of infections to 12,08,212 and the death toll to 10,740, the state health department said. A total of 8,812 COVID-19 patients were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries so far to 11,70,117, leaving Gujarat with 27,355 active cases. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Karnataka reports 5,339 new Covid-19 cases, positivity fall to 4.14%
Karnataka reported 5,339 fresh Covid-19 cases today. Of these, 2,161 infections are from Bengaluru. With today's numbers, the positivity rate fell to 4.14 per cent in the state, and 3.55 per cent in Bengaluru. The state also recorded 48 deaths. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi reports 1,317 new Covid-19 cases, 13 deaths
Delhi on Wednesday reported 1,317 fresh COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 2.11 per cent, while 13 more people succumbed to the viral disease, according to data shared by the city health department.
With this, the national capital’s case count increased to 18,47,515 and the death toll climbed to 26,023, the latest bulletin stated. (PTI)
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | COVID cases surpass 400 million as Omicron grips world
Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 400 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the highly contagious Omicron variant dominates the outbreak, pushing health systems in several countries to the brink of capacity.
The Omicron variant, which is dominating the surge around the world, accounts for almost all new cases reported daily. While cases have begun to level off in many countries, more than 2 million cases are still being reported on average each day, according to aReuters analysis. Deaths, which tend to lag cases, have increased by 70percentin the last five weeks based on the seven-day average.
While preliminary evidence from several countries have shown that Omicron is milder than previous variants, a large volume of cases can potentially overburden healthcare systems globally.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Possibility of new COVID-19 variants really high, warns WHO
Describing the new COVID-19 variants as the "wild card", a top World Health Organisation official has warned that the Omicron will not be the last one and the possibility of other new variants is really high.During a question and answer session live streamed on WHO’s social media platforms on Tuesday, the WHO COVID-19 Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove said that the global health agency is tracking four different versions of Omicron.
"We know a lot about this virus, but we don’t know everything. And quite frankly, the variants are the wild card. So we are tracking this virus in real time as it mutates as it changesBut this virus has a lot of room to move,” she said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Slovenian PM Janez Jansa tests positive for Covid-19
Slovenia's conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa said Wednesday he had tested positive for Covid-19, just as the EU country of two million sees a decline in new infections."For two years we have been successfully avoiding the coronavirus. Yesterday, during a self-test both of my children were positive, I was negative. Today, unfortunately, mine is also + (positive)," Jansa wrote on his Twitter account, posting a photo of his antigen self-test.
Jansa said his symptoms were mild for now and did not specify whether he would undergo a PCR test, which the government no longer requires to confirm an infection under recently changed rules. Jansa took over the government in March 2020 just days after the epidemic in Slovenia was declared.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | England could end Covid isolation requirement by March: Boris Johnson
England will scrap the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 later this month if infection levels remain stable, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Wednesday.Johnson, dogged by revelations of apparent breaches of the Covid rules at Downing Street that have led to calls for him to quit, had earlier said he aimed to end the self-isolation rules on March 24.But addressing lawmakers before parliament goes into recess on Thursday until February 21, he said he would bring the change forward by a month, to cheers from his fellow Conservative MPs.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Kerala logs 23,253 new COVID-19 cases, 854 deaths
Daily COVID-19 cases in Kerala which saw a slight increase a day ago, again decreased with the state on Wednesday recording 23,253 fresh infections which raised the total caseload to 63,46,631. The southern state had reported 29,471 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.Kerala today also reported 854 deaths which raised the total fatalities in Kerala to 60,793, according to a government release. Of the deaths, 29 were reported in the last 24 hours, 198 were those which occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 627 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, the release said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Delhi University to reopen offline classes for all the undergraduate and post-graduate courses from February 17
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | AIIMS Delhi to discontinue routine COVID-19 testing before hospitalisation, surgeries
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi announced on February 9 that it will discontinue routine COVID-19 testing before inpatient hospitalisations and surgeries.
This will be applicable to both regular and daycare hospitalisations, minor and major surgeries/ interventional, non-interventional proceduresandimaging in clinically asymptomatic patients/ including OPD and Emergency patients along with those who were earlier COVID-19 positive but have recovered and been transferred to the inpatient ward for continued treatment, acircular issued by AIIMS Delhi read.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates |
Over 1 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group fully vaccinated against COVID-19, says Health MinisterHealth minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya today said India achieved a historic feat as over 1 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.In atweet he wrote, "What a historic feat by Young India! Over 1 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Meghalaya logs 125 new COVID-19 cases, two more fatalities
Meghalaya on Wednesday reported 125 fresh COVID-19 cases, 23 less than the previous day, which pushed the tally to 92,646, a senior health department official said. The coronavirus death toll also rose to 1,554 with two more fatalities, he said.The northeastern state now has 1,098 active cases, while 89,994 patients have so far recovered from the disease. The new cases include 56 single-day infections from East Khasi Hills and 16 from West Garo Hills District, Health Services Director Aman War said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Global COVID-19 case counts decline 17% in latest week: WHO
The World Health Organization says coronavirus case counts fell 17percent worldwide over the last week compared to the previous week, including a 50 percent drop in the United States, while deaths globally declined 7 percent, the World Health Organization says.
The weekly epidemiological report from the U.N. health agency, released late Tuesday, shows that the omicron variant is increasingly dominant — making up nearly 97 percent of all cases tallied by the international virus-tracking platform known as GISAID. Just over 3 percent were of the delta variant.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | New Computer Model Shows Best Ways to Slow Covid-19 Spread
Researchers in Canada have developed a computer model that simulates many variables affecting the transmission of COVID-19 to suggest the best ways to slow the spread of variants. The model created by researchers at the University of Waterloo takes raw data already in use to forecast case numbers and hospitalisations, and then adds other factors, such as vaccination rates, mask use and lockdowns, and the number of breakthrough infections.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Glenmark Launches Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (FabiSpray) in India for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Covid-19
Glenmark received manufacturing and marketing approval from India’s drug regulator for Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) as part of accelerated approval process. Phase 3 trial in India met the key endpoints and demonstrated reduction of viral load of 94% in 24 hours and 99% in 48 hours. NONS was safe and well tolerated in COVID-19 patients. Glenmark to market NONS under the brand name FabiSpray.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Night curfew lifted in Himachal Pradesh amid drop in Covid cases
TheHimachalPradesh government has decided to lift the night curfew amid a decline inCovidcases in the state, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday. The number of active COVID-19 cases in the state decreased to 4,812 on February 8 from 9,672 on February 1, government data showed.
The decision to lift the night curfew was taken during the cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Jai RamThakurhere on Wednesday, he added. The state government imposed the night curfew on January 5 from 10 pm to 5 am and revised it on January 31 from 10 pm to 6 am to check the spread of COVID-19.
However, there will be some restrictions on gatherings, the official said. All social, religious, cultural, political and other congregations, including marriages and funerals, will be permitted with 50 percent of the capacity of both the indoor the and outdoor areas, he added.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | South Korea weighs voting options for people with COVID ahead of election
South Korea's parliament explored ways on Wednesday to allow people who have caught the novel coronavirus to cast their ballot in next month's presidential election, as the number of new cases spiralled to nearly 50,000 for the first time. South Korea will elect its next president on March 9, but concerns about potential COVID-related disruptions are growing as daily cases skyrocket due to the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
The election watchdog planned to introduce a proposal on Wednesday to the National Assembly to amend the Public Official Election Act enabling in-person voting for COVID-19 patients after 6 p.m. on March 5 and 9. The current rules effectively ban people who were diagnosed with a contagious disease after the March 4-5 early voting period due to mandatory isolation policy.
Both the ruling and opposition parties have called for allowing the patients to vote from 6-9 p.m., and an agreed proposal was expected to be put up for a vote on Monday. The ruling Democratic Party also called for mail-in voting for the patients, while the main opposition People Power Party suggested setting up special polling stations for them.South Korea's daily number of new cases hit a record high of 49,567 for Tuesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Hong Kong imposes its strictest Covid curbs to date as cases soar
Hong Kong on Tuesday imposed its strictest social distancing measures yet as it struggles to maintain a "zero-Covid" policy amid an Omicron-fuelled spike in cases. Like mainland China, Hong Kong has adhered to a staunch "zero-Covid" policy that has kept infections low through targeted lockdowns and prolonged social distancing measures. The approach has left it one of the most isolated major cities in the world.
But the spread of the Omicron variant in the Chinese territory is threatening to derail the strategy as cases rapidly tick up each day. On Tuesday, city leader Carrie Lam announced gatherings in private premises will now be limited to two families -- the first time Hong Kong has applied restrictions to homes. She did not detail how it would be enforced. In public, all gatherings will now be capped at two people -- down from four. "We are now facing the most dire situation," Lam said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Global studies show Omicron spreads faster than previous COVID-19 variants of concern: Govt
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, the Rajya Sabha was 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 Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said 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 and UTs in their endeavor to manage COVID-19 since the beginning of pandemic, Pawar said.
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 under ICMR, 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.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | 22 COVID-19 deaths, 1,712 new cases in Odisha
Odisha's COVID-19 death toll rose to 8,797 on Wednesday as 22 more fatalities were reported, while 1,712 new infections pushed the caseload to 12,71,523, a health department bulletin said. The state had reported 1,503 new COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths on Tuesday. Of the 22 new COVID-19 fatalities, 14 were from Khurda district, it said. Khurda district reported 257 new COVID-19 cases followed by Cuttack (104), Angul (79), Balasore (54), Jajpur and Mayurbhanj (53 cases each).
The daily positivity rate declined to 2.59 per cent as 1,712 infections were detected out of 66,021 samples tested in the last 24 hours. Odisha currently has 17,647 active COVID-19 cases, including 3,910 in Khurda district, which is in the red zone. Sundargarh and Cuttack districts are in the yellow zone with over 1,000 cases. A total of 12,45,026 people have recovered from COVID-19 so far, including 3,429 in the last 24 hours, the bulletin added.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Families of 1,616 health workers paid insurance claims worth Rs 808 crore: Govt
Insurance claims worth Rs 808 crore have been paid to the families of 1,616 deceased healthcare workers who were involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The Centre launched the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package' (PMGKP) insurance scheme on March 30, 2020, for health workers fighting COVID-19.
The scheme provides comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to 22.12 lakh healthcare providers, including community health workers and private health workers, who may have come in direct contact with and were involved in the care of COVID-19 patients and may be at risk of being impacted by the disease.
Replying to a supplementary question, Mandaviya complemented all doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers for doing exemplary work during the first, second and third wave of the pandemic. He said the country was able to successfully handle the pandemic because of the efforts of these health workers. The minister said the government launched the PMGKP scheme to provide an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to eligible beneficiaries. The scheme has been extended several times.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Mizoram reports 1,806 new COVID-19 cases, 3 more deaths
Mizoram on Wednesday reported a dip in new COVID-19 cases, as 1,806 people tested positive for the infection, 418 less than the previous day, pushing the tally to 1,89,915, a health department official said. Three more persons succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 626, the official said. The state had reported 2,224 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, he said. The single-day positivity rate dipped to 23.70 per cent from 27.37 per cent the previous day, he said.
At least 367 children were among the newly infected people, the official said. Aizawl district reported the highest number of fresh cases at 877, followed by Lunglei (226) and Champhai (160). The northeastern state now has 13,385 COVID-19 active cases, while 2,409 people have recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the total recoveries to 1,75,904. The COVID-19 recovery rate now is 92.62 per cent and the death rate is 0.32 per cent. Mizoram has so far tested more than 17.30 lakh samples for COVID-19. According to state Immunisation officer Dr Lalmuanawma Jongte, over 7.98 lakh people have been inoculated till Tuesday and 6.21 lakh of them have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Ladakh reports 70 fresh COVID-19 cases
Active COVID-19 cases in Ladakh declined to 773 with 179 coronavirus patients being cured, while 70 fresh cases were recorded, taking the overall caseload to 27,062, officials said on Wednesday. The union territory has recorded 226 Covid-related deaths so far with 167 in Leh and 59 in Kargil, they said. There was no death reported from the Union Territory on Tuesday, they said. Of the 70 fresh cases, 39 were reported from Leh district and 31 from Kargil district, they said. With this, the total number of COVID-19 active cases in Ladakh is 773 including 511 cases in Leh and 262 cases in Kargil district.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Glenmark launches nitric oxide nasal spray for adult COVID patients in India
Glenmark on February 9 announced the launch of Nitric Oxide nasal spray in India, in partnership with SaNOtize, under the brand name of FabiSpray, for the treatment of adult patients suffering from COVID-19, after receiving regulatory approvals from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The company said in a statement that the spray’s phase 3 clinical trials in the country had met the key endpoints and demonstrated reduction of viral load of 94 per cent in 24 hours and 99 per cent in 48 hours.
“Glenmark received manufacturing and marketing approval from India’s drug regulator for Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) as part of accelerated approval process,” it said, adding that NONS was safe and well tolerated in COVID-19 patients. The statement also said that the product is for those with COVID-19 who have a high risk of progression of the disease.
Sharing the details of the spray’s clinical trial from India, the statement said that it was conducted across 20 sites involving 306 patients. The trial analysed patients with risk of progression of disease - non-vaccinated patients, patients in the middle and older age group and patients with co-morbidities. Declaring that the product is now available in the Indian market, the company has not immediately announced the price of the spray yet.
It remains to be seen whether a task force jointly run by the ICMR and the Director General of Health Services under the Health Ministry includes it in the recommended list of therapeutics for COVID in the coming days. This task force, which revises the clinical management guideline for COVID from time to time, has not yet included Molnupiravir, a drug approved by the DCGI for COVID patients, in the protocol and ICMR director general Balram Bhargava had, in fact, advised against it citing safety concerns.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | 3rd wave of COVID-19 appears to have ended in Telangana: Health official
The third wave of COVID-19 triggered by the Omicron variant appears to have come to an end in Telangana, a senior health official said on Tuesday, even as he stressed on COVID-appropriate behaviour and vaccination. “In the third wave, cases started rising from December 28, 2021. We have seen the peak on January 28. We are witnessing a decline in number of cases since then,” state Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao told reporters.
About 70 per cent of patients in Telangana are infected by BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron, he said. The third and fourth waves of the pandemic that began in various countries across the world due to Omicron are on the wane and the number of daily cases within the country are less than one lakh for the last two days, he said. The positivity rate is less than five per cent. “In our state also, we have seen only 1,300 cases being reported yesterday. Our positivity rate was below two per cent. Our hospital bed occupancy is only four cent,” he said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | South Korea weighs voting options for people with COVID ahead of election
South Korea's parliament explored ways on Wednesday to allow people who have caught the novel coronavirus to cast their ballot in next month's presidential election, as the number of new cases spiralled to nearly 50,000 for the first time. South Korea will elect its next president on March 9, but concerns about potential COVID-related disruptions are growing as daily cases skyrocket due to the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
The election watchdog planned to introduce a proposal on Wednesday to the National Assembly to amend the Public Official Election Act enabling in-person voting for COVID-19 patients after 6 p.m. on March 5 and 9. The current rules effectively ban people who were diagnosed with a contagious disease after the March 4-5 early voting period due to mandatory isolation policy.
Both the ruling and opposition parties have called for allowing the patients to vote from 6-9 p.m., and an agreed proposal was expected to be put up for a vote on Monday. The ruling Democratic Party also called for mail-in voting for the patients, while the main opposition People Power Party suggested setting up special polling stations for them.
South Korea's daily number of new cases hit a record high of 49,567 for Tuesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily tally has more than doubled in less than a week, and could reach up to 170,000 later this month, the KDCA said. President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday there needed to be a measure to ensure all voters can exercise their right to vote.
South Korea, with a 52 million population, has largely been a COVID-19 mitigation success story, with 1,131,239 total infections and 6,943 deaths, thanks largely to masks, distancing and aggressive testing and tracing. But the government shifted its testing and tracing policy in the face of the Omicron spread in favour of self-monitoring and diagnosis and at-home treatment starting last week. It also extended strict distancing curbs until Feb. 20, including a 9 p.m. curfew for restaurants, cafes and bars. Nearly 96% of South Korean adults have been fully vaccinated and some 64% have received a booster shot.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Hong Kong imposes its strictest Covid curbs to date as cases soar
Hong Kong on Tuesday imposed its strictest social distancing measures yet as it struggles to maintain a "zero-Covid" policy amid an Omicron-fuelled spike in cases. Like mainland China, Hong Kong has adhered to a staunch "zero-Covid" policy that has kept infections low through targeted lockdowns and prolonged social distancing measures. The approach has left it one of the most isolated major cities in the world.
But the spread of the Omicron variant in the Chinese territory is threatening to derail the strategy as cases rapidly tick up each day. On Tuesday, city leader Carrie Lam announced gatherings in private premises will now be limited to two families -- the first time Hong Kong has applied restrictions to homes. She did not detail how it would be enforced. In public, all gatherings will now be capped at two people -- down from four. "We are now facing the most dire situation," Lam said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Global studies show Omicron spreads faster than previous COVID-19 variants of concern: Govt
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, the Rajya Sabha was 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 Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said 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 and UTs in their endeavor to manage COVID-19 since the beginning of pandemic, Pawar said.
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 under ICMR, 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.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Jharkhand logs 264 new COVID-19 cases, one fresh fatality
Jharkhand continued to register a decline in fresh COVID-19 cases as 264 people tested positive for the infection on Saturday, 16 less than the previous day, taking the state's caseload to 4,32,169, a health bulletin said. The death toll rose to 5,314 as one more patient succumbed to the infection in Dhanbad, it said. The state had recorded 280 cases and two deaths on Tuesday. Jharkhand now has 2,272 active cases, while 4,24,583 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 412 on Tuesday, the bulletin said. The recovery rate stood at 98.24 per cent, while the mortality rate was at 1.22 per cent. The administration has tested about 2.02 crore samples for COVID-19 thus far, including 49,883 in the last 24 hours.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Families of 1,616 health workers paid insurance claims worth Rs 808 crore: Govt
Insurance claims worth Rs 808 crore have been paid to the families of 1,616 deceased healthcare workers who were involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The Centre launched the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package' (PMGKP) insurance scheme on March 30, 2020, for health workers fighting COVID-19.
The scheme provides comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to 22.12 lakh healthcare providers, including community health workers and private health workers, who may have come in direct contact with and were involved in the care of COVID-19 patients and may be at risk of being impacted by the disease.
Replying to a supplementary question, Mandaviya complemented all doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers for doing exemplary work during the first, second and third wave of the pandemic. He said the country was able to successfully handle the pandemic because of the efforts of these health workers. The minister said the government launched the PMGKP scheme to provide an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to eligible beneficiaries. The scheme has been extended several times.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | 105 new cases push Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally to 63,724
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 63,724 on Wednesday as 105 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said. As many as 294 more patients were cured of the disease, taking the total number of recoveries to 62,178, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said, adding that the discharge rate marginally improved to 97.57 per cent from 97.27 per cent on the previous day.
The death toll remained unchanged at 292 as no fresh fatality was registered, he said. The Capital Complex region reported the highest number of new cases at 26, followed by 11 each in East Siang and West Kameng, and seven each in Longding and Anjaw districts. Arunachal Pradesh now has 1,254 active cases, including 343 in the Capital Complex region, and 215 in Lower Subansiri district. The state has thus far tested over 12.51 lakh samples for COVID-19, including 1,273 on Tuesday, Jampa said, adding that the positivity rate stood at 8.24 per cent. State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said that 15.97 lakh people have been inoculated so far.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Glenmark launches nitric oxide nasal spray for adult COVID patients in India
Glenmark on February 9 announced the launch of Nitric Oxide nasal spray in India, in partnership with SaNOtize, under the brand name of FabiSpray, for the treatment of adult patients suffering from COVID-19, after receiving regulatory approvals from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The company said in a statement that the spray’s phase 3 clinical trials in the country had met the key endpoints and demonstrated reduction of viral load of 94 per cent in 24 hours and 99 per cent in 48 hours.
“Glenmark received manufacturing and marketing approval from India’s drug regulator for Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) as part of accelerated approval process,” it said, adding that NONS was safe and well tolerated in COVID-19 patients. The statement also said that the product is for those with COVID-19 who have a high risk of progression of the disease.
Sharing the details of the spray’s clinical trial from India, the statement said that it was conducted across 20 sites involving 306 patients. The trial analysed patients with risk of progression of disease - non-vaccinated patients, patients in the middle and older age group and patients with co-morbidities. Declaring that the product is now available in the Indian market, the company has not immediately announced the price of the spray yet.
It remains to be seen whether a task force jointly run by the ICMR and the Director General of Health Services under the Health Ministry includes it in the recommended list of therapeutics for COVID in the coming days. This task force, which revises the clinical management guideline for COVID from time to time, has not yet included Molnupiravir, a drug approved by the DCGI for COVID patients, in the protocol and ICMR director general Balram Bhargava had, in fact, advised against it citing safety concerns.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Over 5 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that over 5 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group have received the first dose of COVID19 vaccine, till now.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Mayor Kishori Pednekar hints at unlocking Mumbai by February-end as COVID-19 cases dip
Amid a significant drop in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, city Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday hinted that the Maharashtra capital will be unlocked by the end of this month and underlined the need for resumption of all activities. The mayor’s statement comes a day after Mumbai reported 356 COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily rise after December 21, 2021, when the third wave of the pandemic began, and five fatalities. The case positivity rate of Mumbai fell to 1.10 per cent, officials had said. Speaking to reporters, Pednekar also said that Mumbai will achieve 100 per cent vaccination within a week.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Daily COVID-19 cases tad higher than a day before but daily TPR under 5% after 35 days
India has recorded 71,365 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours-a tad higher than the daily cases reported a day before but the daily infections stayed under 1 lakh for the third day in a row. This takes the total confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 4,24, 10, 976. Of the new cases, Kerala reported the highest 29,471 new cases followed by Maharashtra (6,107) and Tamil Nadu (4,519).
Only Kerala and Maharashtra reported daily infections upwards of the 5,000 mark. The active COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 8,92, 828, down from 9,94,891 a day before. This is the lowest number of active cases in India in the last 29 days. A total of 1,217 COVID fatalities were also added in the last 24 hours taking the tally of confirmed deaths to 5,05, 279 but 591 of these were backlog deaths from Kerala which also reported the highest, 233 deaths, in a day. This, also means that India added over 1000 deaths, in the tally of fatalities for the second consecutive day.
The country also registered 1,72, 211 recoveries in the 24 hour period which too the total recoveries to 4,10, 12, 869 and the recovery rate for the country now is 96.70 per cent. In what comes as a positive news though, the daily test positivity rate was 4.54 per cent in a day—the lowest in 35 days while the weekly positivity rate has also come down to 7.57 per cent. A total of 74.46 crore total tests have been conducted in the country so far of which 15,71,726 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | 3rd wave of COVID-19 appears to have ended in Telangana: Health official
The third wave of COVID-19 triggered by the Omicron variant appears to have come to an end in Telangana, a senior health official said on Tuesday, even as he stressed on COVID-appropriate behaviour and vaccination. “In the third wave, cases started rising from December 28, 2021. We have seen the peak on January 28. We are witnessing a decline in number of cases since then,” state Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao told reporters.
About 70 per cent of patients in Telangana are infected by BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron, he said. The third and fourth waves of the pandemic that began in various countries across the world due to Omicron are on the wane and the number of daily cases within the country are less than one lakh for the last two days, he said. The positivity rate is less than five per cent. “In our state also, we have seen only 1,300 cases being reported yesterday. Our positivity rate was below two per cent. Our hospital bed occupancy is only four cent,” he said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Hong Kong imposes its strictest Covid curbs to date as cases soar
Hong Kong on Tuesday imposed its strictest social distancing measures yet as it struggles to maintain a "zero-Covid" policy amid an Omicron-fuelled spike in cases. Like mainland China, Hong Kong has adhered to a staunch "zero-Covid" policy that has kept infections low through targeted lockdowns and prolonged social distancing measures. The approach has left it one of the most isolated major cities in the world.
But the spread of the Omicron variant in the Chinese territory is threatening to derail the strategy as cases rapidly tick up each day. On Tuesday, city leader Carrie Lam announced gatherings in private premises will now be limited to two families -- the first time Hong Kong has applied restrictions to homes. She did not detail how it would be enforced. In public, all gatherings will now be capped at two people -- down from four. "We are now facing the most dire situation," Lam said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Global studies show Omicron spreads faster than previous COVID-19 variants of concern: Govt
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, the Rajya Sabha was 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 Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said 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 and UTs in their endeavor to manage COVID-19 since the beginning of pandemic, Pawar said.
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 under ICMR, 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.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Thane logs 209 new COVID-19 cases, 5 more deaths
Thane has added 209 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 7,06,179, an official said on Wednesday. These new cases were reported on Tuesday, he said. Five more people also succumbed to the viral infection, which pushed the death toll in the district to 11,830, he said, adding that the COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 1.67 per cent. In neighboring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,62,921, while the death toll stands at 3,386, another official said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | 18 new COVID-19 cases in Andamans, tally rises to 9,943
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 9,943 on Wednesday as 18 people tested positive for the infection, eight more than the previous day, a health bulletin said. Three new patients have travel history, while 15 infections were detected during contact tracing, it said. The Union territory now has 178 active cases, while 9,636 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 32 in the last 24 hours. The death toll remained unchanged at 129 as no fresh fatality was recorded, it said. The administration has thus far tested over 6.88 lakh samples for COVID-19, and inoculated more than 3 lakh people with two doses of the vaccine.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Beijing Olympics organiser says 5 new COVID cases detected among personnel on February 8
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organizing Committee said on Wednesday that a total of five new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 8. Three of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website. Two others were among those already in the closed loop bubble that separates all events personnel from the public, both of whom were classified as either an athlete or team official, the notice said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | 5.33 lakh deaths from COVID-19 pandemic so far: Mansukh Mandaviya
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on 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 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan 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 C Venugopal related to Covid deaths in Rajya Sabha, Mandaviya said 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 Health Organisation has 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," Mandaviya said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Over 28 lakh covid vaccine doses have been administrated to pregnant women till February 2: Govt
As per the information on Co-WIN, 28,22,459 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to pregnant women till February 2, Rajya Sabha was informed Tuesday. Out of 28,22,459 vaccine doses, 16,53,768 beneficiaries have received first dose and 11,68,691 women have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.
The government is aware of the WHO's interim recommendation on COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant and lactating women in June 2021. States and UTs have been provided detailed guidance on preparing counselling and vaccination plan for them, she said. A communication strategy is in place which is implemented across all states and Union Territories with a focus to sustain vaccine confidence, the minister said.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Haryana govt employees/officers to attend office on regular basis from February 9
Haryana govt has decided that all government employees/officers shall attend office on regular basis with effect from February 9, 2022, reads the official statement.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Schools in Haryana will reopen from February 10 for classes 1 to 9. Online classes will also continue.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Karnataka achieves 90% double-dose vaccination
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.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Maharashtra logs 6,107 new COVID-19 cases, 57 deaths; active tally drops below 1 lakh
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.
Coronavirus Omicron India LIVE Updates | Lab issuing fake Covid reports raided in Gurugram
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.
