New Delhi:
The total count of the highly transmissible coronavirus variant Omicron has reached 781 in India. The variant of concern that was first detected in south africa in November has now spread to 21 states in the country.
Delhi has the highest Omicron count with 238 cases, followed by Maharashtra with 167 cases.
India reported 9,195 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, 44 per cent higher than yesterday's 6,358 cases. The government has been continuously speeding up vaccination drive across the country.
Over 143 crore vaccine doses have been administered in India, making a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19.
The recovery rate is currently at 98.40 per cent, highest since March 2020.
At least 7,347 people have recovered in the last 24 hours. The total number of people who have recovered is 3,42,51,292.
Active cases account for less than 1 per cent of total cases, currently at 0.22 per cent, lowest since March 2020.
The active caseload stands at 77,002. The weekly positivity rate of 0.68 per cent is less than 1 per cent for the last 45 days.
Daily positivity rate of 0.79 per cent is less than 2 per cent for the last 86 days.
The risk posed by the Omicron variant is still "very high", the World Health Organisation said today, after COVID-19 case numbers shot up by 11 per cent globally last week. Omicron is behind rapid virus spikes in several countries, including those where it has already overtaken the previously dominant Delta variant, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological update.
It said early data from Britain, South Africa and Denmark -- which currently has the world's highest rate of infection per person -- suggested there was a reduced risk of hospitalisation for Omicron compared to Delta.
However,Delhi has recorded the most cases of Omicron in the country (142), followed by Maharashtra (141), Kerala (57), Gujarat (49) and 43 (Rajasthan), the Health Ministry said in a bulletin. further data was needed to understand Omicron's severity in terms of clinical markers, including the use of oxygen, mechanical ventilation and death.
Overall, the country reported 6,531 Covid cases over the past 24 hours, 6.5 per cent less as compared to yesterday. The country's active Covid caseload currently stands at 75,841.
Omicron cases have been rising in the wake of the wedding and festival season, prompting authorities to bring back curbs that had been eased after case counts dropped.
Pictures of crowded markets in Delhi and unmasked Christmas celebrations in Kolkata have set alarm bells ringing and brought back grim memories of the second wave.
Delhi has activated the graded action plan prepared earlier this year to tackle surges in infections. From 11 pm today, night curfew will remain in place in the national capital.
Essential services and movement of food supplies, transport from and to airports, railway stations and bus depots and e-commerce deliveries are among services exempted from the night curfew.
The Prime Minister has asked officials to remain alert and vigilant. He has also announced that India will start giving booster shots to frontline workers and those above 60 from January 10 and that vaccinations will begin for children between 15 and 18 years from January 3.
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