India reported 27,553 new Covid-19 infections, 284 deaths and 9,249 discharges in last 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data updated on Sunday morning. A total of 1,525 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 560 have recovered or migrated. Maharashtra recorded a maximum of 460 cases, followed by Delhi at 351, Gujarat 136, Tamil Nadu 117 and Kerala 109, as per the official data.
The Centre on Saturday urged all the state governments and union Territories to be prepared for a possible surge in Omicron and Covid-19 cases. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote a letter to all state chief secretaries and said that it is imperative to re-emphasize the significance of timely and swift upgradation of health infrastructure in all states and UTs, news agency PTI reported. He also asked the states to begin the process of setting up makeshift hospitals and to form special teams that would monitor patients in home isolation.
Delhi recorded 2,716 fresh cases of coronavirus on Saturday which is the highest single-day rise since May 21, as per the city’s health department data. The national capital’s South district reported the highest number of Covid-19 infections on Saturday in a single day at 372. Mumbai on the other hand recorded 6,347 fresh Covid-19 cases on Saturday, an official was quoted as saying by PTI. Kerala’s health department logged 2,435 new coronavirus cases and 22 Covid-19 related deaths on Saturday. Karnataka recorded a spike in new infections for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday with 1000 new Covid-19 cases and 5 deaths.
Amid growing number of infections and rapidly spreading Omicron variant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India will not allow the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic to dampen the growth process of the country. He noted that the country will continue to fight the pandemic with caution and vigilance.
Going by the global rise in Covid-19 cases, things are not looking up internationally as well. France became the sixth country in the world to report more than 10 million COVID-19 infections since the outbreak of the pandemic, a Reuters report said. Italy recorded 141,262 Covid-19 related cases on Saturday, following 144,243 the day before, the health ministry said.
As cases of coronavirus are increasing again in the national capital, the government of Delhi has promised to provide free online Yoga classes to COVID-19 patients who are in home isolation. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was interacting with instructors at “Dilli Ki Yogshala” on Saturday when he said that free customised online Yoga classes would be provided to the patients. He said that medical treatment coupled with “immunity-booster” Yoga would help them recover quickly, according to a report in IE. The report also cited a Delhi government statement as saying that currently, Yoga sessions are being conducted at 65 places across the national capital by 61 Yoga instructors under the banner of “Dilli Ki Yogshala”.
Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty on Sunday urged school teachers and Parent Teachers Association (PTA) to take initiative to vaccinate children against the coronavirus. The Minister urged the school authorities and the PTA to also create awareness on the virus among students and the parents. Around 15.4 lakh students, including 12 lakh studying in government schools and in the age group of 15 to 18 years, would receive the vaccine, the Minister's office said in a press release. This includes students from CBSE, ICSE, ITI and polytechnic institutions. “Everyday, the Education Department will collate the details of students who have been administered with the vaccine. The Minister will soon call a meeting of the other streams, including the CBSE and ICSE,” the release said. The vaccination for children is arranged at all General/District/Taluk/Community Health Centres till January 10 except on Wednesdays, the release said. Meanwhile, State Health Minister Veena George told reporters that an action plan for the vaccination has been formulated. The vaccination would begin from January 3. There would be separate areas in the hospitals for the vaccination of children in the hospitals.
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