COVID-19 Omicron case highlights: India has detected a total of 1,525 cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, as per data from the Union Health Ministry on January 2. Of these cases, spread across 23 states and Union Territories, 560 have recovered or migrated, it added. Among states, Maharashtra tops the list with 460 cases, followed by Delhi at 351, Gujarat 136, Tamil Nadu 117 and Kerala 109. This brings India’s total COVID-19 tally to 34,889,132 cases with 27,553 fresh cases, while the active cases have increased to 122,801. While the death toll has climbed to 481,770 with 284 more fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases have increased to 122,801 comprising 0.35 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.27 percent, the ministry said. An increase of 18,020 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.55 percent, while the weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 1.35 percent, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 34,284,561, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.38 percent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 145.44 crore.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20 lakh-mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one crore-mark on December 19.
India had crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
The UK government has been making contingency plans in case hospitals, schools and other workplaces are hit by major staff shortages amid the country's record-breaking spike in coronavirus infections.
Public sector workplaces have been preparing for staff absences ranging from 10% to 25% as COVID-19 sickens more people or forces them to isolate, the Cabinet Office said.
A total of 10,000 doses of Covaxin will be administered to teens in the 15-18 age group in Pune across 40 locations under the COVID-19 vaccination drive that will begin for this segment on Monday. Each centre will have 250 doses. Half the doses will be for those registering online and the rest for on spot arrivals.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that Dharavi reported 60 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Presently, there are 179 active cases in Dharavi.
There were 2,069 recoveries, and nine deaths reported in the past 24 hours; active cases stand at 42,024.
Fifty patients with Omicron infection have been reported in the state today; a total of 510 Omicron cases have been reported in Maharashtra so far.
Gujarat reports 968 fresh COVID-19 cases, 141 recoveries, and one death today: State Government
Total cases: 8,33,769
Total recoveries: 8,18,896
Active cases: 4753
Death toll: 10,120
Cases of Omicron: 136
Restaurants including hotels, coffee shops, eating places, marriage palaces and banquet halls in Chandigarh will now open with 50% capacity. Only those who have taken both doses of vaccine will be allowed entry, reads an official order of the SDMA, UT Chandigarh
West Bengal: In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases, the galleries and gardens of the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata as well as the Projection Mapping show each evening, will remain closed from January 3 until further orders.
West Bengal to allow domestic flights from Mumbai and Delhi to operate only twice a week temporarily on Monday and Friday with effect from Jan 5 due to rising COVID-19 cases
The Omicron coronavirus variant could ease pressure on the German health system if it turns out to produce milder illness, even though infections are rising, the head of the country's association of senior hospital doctors (VLK) said on Sunday.
VLK President Michael Weber said coronavirus would no longer be a threat to the health system if Omicron became as dominant in Germany as it is in South Africa, Britain, or Denmark and if the infections are as predominantly mild as there.
"There is a realistic probability that the pandemic will also become endemic in this country," Weber told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
Children in secondary schools in England will be told to wear face coverings when they return after the Christmas holiday next week to tackle a surge in cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said on January 2.
England was the only one of the four UK nations where face coverings were not previously recommended in the classroom.
Kerala reports 45 new cases of Omicron on January 2; total tally reaches 152.
Kerala reports 2,802 new cases, 12 deaths, and 2,606 recoveries today; Active cases at 19,180. Death tally at 48,113.
66 deaths were added to the death tally as per the new guidelines of the Central government, says Kerala govt in an official statement
Daily coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia have climbed above 1,000 for the first time since August, while daily infections in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have crossed the 2,500-level.
Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf state with a population of around 30 million, on January 2, registered 1,024 new coronavirus infections and one death. Daily cases had fallen below 100 in September.
Neighbouring UAE, a tourism and commercial hub now marking its peak tourism season and hosting a world fair, announced 2,600 new coronavirus cases and three deaths.
