Covid cases in India: The overall recovery rate currently stands at 98.36 per cent. (File)
India recorded 8,439 new Covid cases on Wednesday -- a daily spike that's 23 per cent higher than the previous day. This took the active caseload to 93,733, the lowest in 555 days. At least 195 deaths were also recorded in the day, taking the death count to 4,73,952.
India's active cases account for less than 1 per cent of total cases and are currently at 0.27 per cent which is the lowest since March 2020.
A total of 129.54 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
The overall recovery rate currently stands at 98.36 per cent, highest since March 2020 as India logged 9,525 recoveries in the past 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries to 3,40,89,137.
Meanwhile, a World Health Organization official said the Omicron variant does not appear to cause more severe disease than previous Covid variants, and is "highly unlikely" to fully dodge vaccine protections.
He said that while a lot remained to be learned about the new, heavily mutated variant of COVID-19, preliminary data indicated it did not make people sicker than Delta and other strains.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
Jharkhand Announces Rs 50,000 Compensation To Kin Of COVID-19 VictimsJharkhand Health and Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta on Wednesday made an announcement that Rs 50,000 compensation would be given from the State Disaster Management Department Fund to the families of those who died of COVID-19 in the state.
Further, the minister informed that all Deputy Commissioners have also been directed to ensure the distribution of the ex gratia amount.
COVID-19 India News: Delhi Reports 65 New Cases, One Related DeathDelhi reported 65 fresh COVID-19 cases and one more fatality due to the viral disease in a day, while the positivity rate rose marginally to 0.11%, according to data shared by the city health department on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. The national capital has recorded two deaths due to the coronavirus infection so far in December. Seven Covid fatalities were reported in November, four in October and five in September. With the new cases, the city's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 14,41,514, including over 14.16 lakh patients who have recuperated. The death count due to the viral disease has gone up to 25,100.
COVID-19 India News: Punjab Reports 22 Fresh Cases, 2 DeathsTwo more people died from coronavirus in Punjab on Wednesday as 22 new cases surfaced, taking the state's infection count to 6,03,578, according to a medical bulletin, reported news agency PTI. Two fatalities were reported from Amritsar and Ludhiana, pushing the state's death count to 16,614. Mohali reported five cases, followed by three in Bathinda and two each in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. The number of active cases stood at 350.
COVID-19 India News: Haryana Reports 29 New Cases, Zero DeathHaryana reported 29 new COVID-19 cases in the last one day, pushing the total case count to 7,71,904, an official bulletin said on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. No new death due to the virus was reported during the period, it said. The state has so far lost 10,055 people to the coronavirus since last year when the pandemic began. A majority of Wednesday cases came from Gurugram and Panchkula, with both reporting 15 and 10 cases, respectively. Total active cases in the state now stand at 162 with overall recoveries reported to be 7,61,626.
COVID-19 India News: Telangana Reports 205 New Cases, One More Death
Telangana on Wednesday reported 205 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 6,77,546, while the death count rose to 4,002 with one more fatality, reported news agency PTI. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 79, followed by Hanumakonda (19) and Medchal Malkajgiri (14) districts, a state government bulletin said, providing details as of 5.30 PM today. It said 185 people recovered from the infectious disease. The cumulative number of recoveries was 6,69,673. The number of active cases was 3,871.
COVID-19 India News: Kerala Reports 5,038 New Cases, 112 More DeathsKerala on Wednesday recorded 5,038 new infections and 112 deaths, which took the cases tally to 51,67,063 and the death count to 42,014, reported news agency PTI. With 4,039 more people recovering from the virus since Tuesday, the total recoveries reached 50,95,263 and the active cases reached 40,959, it said. Of the 112 new deaths, 35 were logged over the last few days and 77 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, a state government release said.
COVID-19 India News: Tamil Nadu Reports 703 New Cases, 11 More DeathsTamil Nadu added 703 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, pushing the caseload to 27,32,648, while the death count rose to 36,560 with 11 more deaths, the health department said, according to news agency PTI. Recoveries outnumbered new infections with 728 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 26,88,142 leaving 7,946 active infections, a medical bulletin said.
Chennai and Coimbatore accounted for the majority of new infections with 122 and 117 cases, respectively, while the remaining was spread across other districts. As many as 22 districts reported new Covid-19 infections below 10, while Perambalur and Theni recorded zero new cases each, the bulletin said.
COVID-19 India News: Nagaland Reports One New Case, Tally Rises To 32,143Nagaland's COVID-19 tally rose to 32,143 on Wednesday as one more person tested positive for the infection, a health official said. The new case was registered in Kohima district, he said. The state's coronavirus death count remained unchanged at 699 as no fresh fatality was registered, the official said. Nagaland now has 116 active cases, while 30,262 people have recovered from the disease so far, including three in the last 24 hours.
COVID-19 India News: Mumbai Reports 250 New Cases, One Death
Mumbai reported 250 new coronavirus infections and a single fatality on Wednesday, a civic official said, according to news agency PTI. The caseload of the country's financial capital rose to 7,64,444 and death count reached 16,353. The number of new cases surged over 200 after a gap of two days. On Tuesday Mumbai had logged 191 new COVID-19 cases and one death. The number of active COVID-19 cases in the city came down to 1,652 with 263 recovered patients getting discharged from hospitals. The total of recovered patients rose to 7,43,863 while the city has a recovery rate of 97 per cent.
COVID-19: Russian Returnees Test Positive, 'Omicron' Suspected, Says Goa Chief MinisterRussian returnees who have reached Goa via Delhi are suspected to be infected with COVID-19 variant 'Omicron', informed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday, according to news agency ANI. "We have suspected 'Omicron' cases who are Russia returnees to Goa via Delhi. We can't call them 'Omicron' cases directly," said Sawant.
The samples of suspected cases have been sent for genome sequencing, results of which are awaited.
"All of them are in isolation. They are tourists who had landed from Russia to Delhi followed by Goa. We admitted them as suspected ('Omicron') cases after 12 days. They are Covid positive, their samples sent to Pune (for genome sequencing)," added Mr Sawant.
COVID-19 India News: Puducherry Adds 23 New Cases, Overall Tally Rises To 1,29,128Puducherry registered 23 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 1,29,128, a senior official of the Department of Health said on Wednesday, according to news agency PTI. The 23 fresh cases were spread over Puducherry (14), Karaikal (4) and Mahe (5), Director of the Health Department G Sriramulu said in a release.
The number of active cases stood at 230 which included 48 patients in hospitals and the remaining 182 in home isolation. As many as 22 patients recovered and were discharged during the last 24 hours taking the overall recoveries to 1,27,022, said Mr Sriramulu. He said no fresh fatalities were reported from any of the four regions and the death count remained at 1,876,
Papua New Guinea holds mass Covid burialPapua New Guinea carried out the first in a series of mass Covid-19 burials Wednesday, interring 54 people whose remains were unclaimed for months as the pandemic ravaged the under-resourced Melanesian nation.
Hospital and government officials ordered the crisis ceremony after 300 bodies piled up at Port Moresby General Hospital morgue, overwhelming a facility designed to hold just 60.
Some remains had been stored there since March, as authorities tried to locate loved ones and secure scarce funding to carry out the last rites.
The ceremony took place at Nine Mile Cemetery on the outskirts of the capital Port Moresby.
Germany records highest daily COVID deaths since FebruaryGermany recorded the highest number of deaths from COVID-19 since February on Wednesday as it battles to stop a fourth wave of the pandemic.
A total of 69,601 new infections were reported, 2,415 more than the same time a week ago, and another 527 people died - the highest number since Feb. 12 - to bring the total to 104,047, the German Robert Koch Institute for disease control said.
However, the country's seven-day incidence rate of cases per 100,000 people continued to fall, declining to 427 from 432 on Tuesday.
Karnataka Chief Minister hints at new COVID-19 guidelinesKarnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai hinted that new COVID-19 guidelines could be brought out in view of the infections appearing in clusters and the possible scenario this month and in January next year.
"Today I will collect details pertaining to COVID-19 in November from our officials, which would be presented before the cabinet tomorrow. Whatever is happening with regard to the Omicron variant and the developments taking place in COVID-19 clusters will be placed before the cabinet and accordingly a decision will be taken on issuing a fresh set of guidelines," the Chief Minister said.
South Africa's Covid Hospital Admissions More Than Double: ReportThe daily number of people admitted to hospital in South Africa with Covid-19 more than doubled on Tuesday from a day earlier. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases 383 people have been admitted to hospital with the disease in the last 24 hours compared with 175 in the preceding period.
Of the 13,147 new cases recorded 64% were in Gauteng, the province that includes Johannesburg and Pretoria, compared with 70% of the 6,381 cases the day earlier, according to a statement from the NICD.
The positivity rate of tests was 24.9% on Tuesday, down from 26.4% the day earlier. Over the 24 hours 27 deaths due to Covid-19 were recorded, taking the total confirmed death toll in the country since the pandemic began to 90,002.
Over 139.5 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses provided to states so far: CentreMore than 139.5 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories so far, of which, over 19.19 crore balance and unutilized doses are still available with them to be administered, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
"More than 139 crore (1,39,51,88,670) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category," the health ministry said.
"More than 19.19 Crore (19,19,03,551) balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered," it added.
India Records 8,439 New Covid Cases, 23% Higher Than YesterdayIndia recorded 8,439 new Covid cases today -- 23 per cent higher than yesterday. This took the active caseload to 93,733, the lowest in 555 days. At least 195 deaths were also recorded in a day which took the death count to 4,73,952. India's active cases account for less than 1% of total cases and are currently at 0.27% which is the lowest since March 2020.
A total of 129.54 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
Up to 1 million COVID vaccines wasted in Nigeria last monthUp to one million COVID-19 vaccines are estimated to have expired in Nigeria last month without being used, two sources told Reuters, one of the biggest single losses of doses that shows the difficulty African nations have getting shots in arms.
Governments on the continent of over one billion people have been pushing for more vaccine deliveries as inoculation rates lag richer regions, increasing the risk of new variants such as the Omicron coronavirus now spreading across South Africa.
In Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and home to more than 200 million people, fewer than 4% of adults have been fully vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
France's Martinique territory imposes new curfew as COVID infections surgeAuthorities on the Caribbean island of Martinique ordered a new curfew on Tuesday, citing the worsening of the COVID-19 epidemic on the French territory.
The curfew is set at 8 p.m. local time (0000 GMT) and will start from Wednesday, the local authorities said, adding all trips will have to be justified by health or professional reasons.
This curfew follows another one ordered on Nov. 25 in Martinique after protesters looted shops and set up burning barricades amid demonstrations against COVID-19 protocols.