Omicron Found In 65% Delhi Samples Whose Report Came Between January 1-3

Sixty-five per cent of Covid samples in Delhi, whose genome sequencing reports came out between January 1 and 3, were found to have the Omicron variant as against 28 per cent from December 1 to 31, official data showed.

Of the 72 samples, whose reports arrived in the first three days of this year, 47 were found to be infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus, while Delta and its sublineages were found in 20 samples. Only seven per cent had other variants.

Delhi on Wednesday reported 10,665 new coronavirus cases, almost double the number of infections logged the day before, with the positivity rate shooting up to 11.88 per cent, according to health department data.

The Delhi government has attributed the surge to the highly contagious Omicron variant. According to Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, the third wave of COVID-19 has hit the city.

The Delhi government's data showed that between December 1 and 31 last year, 28 per cent of 1,553 Covid samples sent for genome sequencing were found to have the Omicron variant, 34 per cent Delta and 38 per cent others. Between December 25-31, reports of 563 samples arrived and out of these, 62 per cent had Omicron, 22 per cent Delta and 16 per cent others variants of coronavirus.

Amid the rise in cases, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced a return of the weekend curfew as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority decided to reimpose some more restrictions in the wake of a fresh surge in Covid infections.