COVID-19 cases in India: The active cases in the country stand at 77,032. (File)
India reported 7,189 fresh coronavirus infections and 387 new fatalities, said the health ministry today, pushing the national tally to 3,47,79,815 and the total death count to 4,79,520. The active cases stand at 77,032 while the country's total cases of Omicron, the newest coronavirus variant, has increased to 415.
The Centre has said the Omicron variant is at least thrice more transmissible than the Delta and asked the states and Union Territories to "activate" war rooms, analyze even small trends and surges and take prompt containment action.
State governments have been imposing new restrictions in view of the rising Omicron cases at a time when Christmas and New Year celebrations threaten to exponentially push up the variant's case count.
Here are the highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
COVID-19 India News: Karnataka Reports Seven New Omicron Cases
Seven more cases of Omicron variant have been reported in Karnataka, informed State Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Saturday, according to news agency ANI. Of these seven, two had travelled from Delhi, one had arrived from the US, one each from Zambia, the UK, UAE, and another is a primary contact of the UK traveller. "All primary and secondary contacts have been tracked, traced and tested," the minister said. The Omicron tally has reached 38 in the state.
COVID-19 India News: Tamil Nadu Reports 606 New Cases, 11 Deaths, 685 Recoveries Tamil Nadu reported 606 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the bulletin by the health department, reported news agency ANI. The state also reported 685 recoveries in this period after which the active caseload stands at 6,708. Eleven patients also died due to the virus during the 24-hour period.
COVID-19 India News: Assam Reports 56 New Cases, Zero Related DeathsNo COVID-19 deaths were reported in Assam on Saturday while 56 new cases detected during the day took the overall caseload to 6,20,081, a National Health Mission (NHM) bulletin said, according to news agency PTI. The fresh infections were detected from 14,251 tests conducted during the day, with positivity rate at 0.39%, it said.
Among the fresh infections, 28 were from Kamrup Metropolitan district. No COVID-19 death was reported during the day and the death count remained at 6,155 with death rate at 0.99%, the NHM bulletin said. The number of COVID-19 positive patients who have died due to other reasons also remained at 1,347.
Altogether 158 COVID-19 patients were discharged from different hospitals and Covid Care Centres after recovering from the infection. The number of cured patients has reached 6,11,822 with the recovery rate at 98.67%. The active COVID-19 positive cases in the state currently is at 757, lower from 859 cases the previous day.
PM announces Covid vaccination for children between 15-18 yrs from January 3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that vaccination against COVID-19 for children between 15-18 years will start in the country from January 3, while "precaution dose" for healthcare and frontline workers begin from January 10.
In an address to the nation amid increasing Covid cases through the Omicron variant of the virus, he said the precaution dose will also be available for citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities on the advice of their doctor from January 10 next year as well.
The prime minister used the term precaution dose and did not call it booster dose as it has been generally referred to.
PM Modi said global experience shows that following all preventive measures at personal level is a big weapon to fight Covid as he asked people to be alert and take all precautionary measures but cautioned against any panic.
This is the time to be careful, while engaging in festivities, he said. "I would urge all of you not to panic, be careful and alert. Remember to mask up and keep washing hands," PM Modi said.
Karnataka reports 270 fresh COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hoursKarnataka reported 270 fresh COVID-19 cases and four deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the state health department on Saturday.
With the addition of new cases, the cumulative case tally in the state mounted to 30,04,239, of which 7,271 are active cases.
As per the health bulletin, four deaths were reported in the state taking the total death toll to 38,309.
A total of 246 people have been recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,58,630.
According to the bulletin, 830 passengers travelled from high-risk countries from November 1 till Saturday.
Chennai records sharp rise in new Covid-19 cases; Tamil Nadu logs 606 infections
Tamil Nadu on Saturday reported 606 new Covid-19 infections, including three returnees from the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa, aggregating to 27,43,427 while the deaths rose to 36,725 with 11 more deaths, the Health Department said.
Recoveries eclipsed new infections with 685 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, totalling 26,99,994 leaving 6,708 active infections, a bulletin said.
A total of 1,01,185 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 5,68,26,433.
The State capital witnessed a sharp increase accounting majority of new infections with 165 cases followed by Coimbatore 87, Chengalpet 50 while the remaining were scattered across other districts.
Proof of vaccination must to take part in festivals, says Puducherry: Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan on Saturday said those visiting the Union Territory from other States to participate in the New Year eve celebrations or other festivals here should show proof of being vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Talking to reporters after visiting the premises of the government-owned AFT Mill, now closed, she said the government had planned to use the mill premises to run a COVID Care Centre as there was every necessity for preparations to have beds and other infrastructure facilities when there was threat of onslaught of new variant of the virus - the Omicron.
"The new variant of coronavirus has been spreading across the country. Puducherry government has initiated steps to ramp up infrastructure. As part of this the AFT Mill will be used to establish a Covid Care Centre," she said.
Daily recoveries outnumber new COVID-19 cases in Kerala
Kerala on Saturday clocked 2,407 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the total caseload to 52.21 lakh. However, 3,377 people recuperated from the deadly disease during the same period, taking the total number of those cured in the southern state to 51,61,800.
The state health department said 115 deaths were recorded which raised the toll to 46,318.
Of the 115 deaths, 11 were recorded over the last few days and 311 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.
Among the districts, Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest number--505, followed by Ernakulam 424 and Kozhikode 227 cases.
The state tested 44,754 samples in the last 24 hours and there are six wards across five local self government bodies with a weekly infection population ratio above 10 per cent.
There are 1,24,904 people under observation of which 3,858 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.
Mumbai records 757 COVID-19 cases, rise for third straight day; no deaths
Mumbai reported 757 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, marking rise in cases for the third day in a row, the civic body said. The country's financial capital, however, recorded zero pandemic-related fatalities during the day.
The city had reported 490 cases on Wednesday, 602 on Thursday and 683 cases on Friday.
The caseload increased to 7,70,190 while deaths stayed unchanged at 16,368.
As many as 280 patients recovered, raising the tally of recoveries to 7,47,538. There are 3,703 active coronavirus cases in Mumbai now.
Earlier in the day, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) banned New Year celebration programmes and gatherings in enclosed or open areas in the city in view of rising cases and the Omicron scare.
The recovery rate in Mumbai is 97 per cent while overall case growth rate between December 18 to 24 was 0.05 per cent. The caseload doubling period stands at 1,338 days.
Haryana's Ambala completes 100% COVID-19 vaccination of eligible populationAll eligible population of Ambala in Haryana has been vaccinated with both doses of COVID-19, a senior district official said on Saturday.
"Hundred per cent eligible population of Ambala has been vaccinated with both doses of COVID-19," Ambala senior police official Vikram said. He congratulated the health workers for this achievement.
Meanwhile, four students in a government school in Ambala have tested positive for COVID-19, he said.
The teachers of the school have been tested for COVID-19 and contact tracing is being done, he added.
Mr Vikram also asked people to adhere to COVID-19 norms and avoid large gatherings in the wake of cases of the Omicron variant. Haryana has imposed a night curfew in view of the emergence of the new virus variant.
COVID-19: Rajasthan reports 21 new 'Omicron' cases
Rajasthan has reported 21 new cases of 'Omicron', taking the number of people infected with the new variant of COVID-19 to 43, an official said.
Of these, 11 are from Jaipur, six from Ajmer and three from Udaipur. One of the patients is from Maharashtra. Results from National Institute of Virology Pune showed all of them positive for Omicron, a spokesperson of the health department said on Saturday.
Among these infected, five had returned from foreign countries while three others had come in contact with foreign travellers.
Of the total 43 cases of Omicron in the state, 28 are from Jaipur, seven from Ajmer, four from Sikar, three from Udaipur, and the other being the patient from Maharashtra.
Mansukh Mandaviya urges people to get vaccinated 'soon', shares 108-year-old man's picture receiving jab
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya shared an incident of Maharashtra's Hingoli where a 108-year-old man received COVID-19 vaccine and urged all to get their dose too, to "help in securing country".
Sharing the 108-year-old man's picture, Mr Mandaviya (in Hindi) said, "In Hingoli district of Maharashtra, a 108-year-old man got the vaccine. If you have not got the vaccine, then get it done soon and help in securing the country."
With the administration of 66,09,113 COVID vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's vaccination coverage has exceeded 141 crore, the Union Health Ministry informed on Saturday.
Multi-disciplinary Central teams to be deployed in 10 states over Omicron and vaccination concerns
UP Assembly Election 2022, Coronavirus, Omicron: Poll Body To Meet Centre's Top Health Official For UP Preps Amid OmicronThe Election Commission will meet Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Monday, poll body sources told NDTV this morning, to discuss the Covid situation - specifically the threat posed by the Omicron strain - in Uttar Pradesh and four other states due to hold elections in February-March.
The meeting will take place a day before the commission's Dec 28-30 visit to UP.
The meeting also follows a suggestion from the Allahabad High Court - to defer the election in the state due to concerns of an Omicron-led third wave of coronavirus infections.
7,189 fresh COVID-19 cases in India today, 8% higher than yesterday
India reported 7,189 fresh coronavirus infections and 387 new fatalities, said the health ministry today, pushing the national tally to 3,47,79,815.
The total death count rose to 4,79,520, while the active cases presently stand at 77,032.
The country's total cases of Omicron, the newest coronavirus variant that has sparked widespread global concern, have increased to 415.
Coronavirus News: Christmas Weekend Sees Thousands Of Flights Scrapped Over Omicron WorriesCommercial airlines around the world canceled more than 4,000 flights over the Christmas weekend, as a mounting wave of COVID-19 infections driven by the Omicron variant created greater uncertainty and misery for holiday travelers.
Airline carriers globally scrapped at least 2,314 flights on Friday, which fell on Christmas Eve and is typically a heavy day for air travel, according to a running tally on the flight-tracking website FlightAware.com. The website showed that another 1,404 Christmas Day flights were called off worldwide, along with 340 more that had been scheduled for Sunday.
Commercial air traffic within the US and into or out of the country accounted for roughly a fourth of all the canceled flights over the weekend, FlightAware data showed.