LIVE: Mumbai sees over 3,600 new Covid cases in a day; over 1,300 in Delhi

Mumbai posts 46% jump in daily cases; Delhi passes 1,000-mark after 7 months

Latest Live News updates: The World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that the more transmissible Omicron together with the currently circulating Delta variants might lead to "a tsunami of cases," putting immense pressure on national health systems. Recapping WHO's response since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said at a press briefing that he's "highly concerned that Omicron being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as Delta -- is leading to a tsunami of cases."

In view of the rising Omicron cases across the country, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday advised people "not to panic, but to be vigilant" while extending New Year greetings. In a video message posted by AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Guleria said, "Let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022. As we move forward, it is important for us to understand that the Coronaviorus (Covid-19) pandemic is not over, yet we are in a better position."

1:42 AM

Telangana reports 5 new Omicron cases in past 24 hours

Telangana reported five new cases of COVID variant Omicron in the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 67 in the state, informed Telangana Health Bulletin on Thursday.

 

Of these 67 Omicron cases, a total of 22 people have recovered and been discharged from the state-run Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) hospital so far, the bulletin informed.

 

Meanwhile, Telangana has also reported 280 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the cumulative cases to 6,81,587.

 

The state has also reported one death in the last 24 hours taking the overall death toll to 4,025.

 

As many as 206 people have been recovered from the coronavirus infection on Thursday while the cumulative recoveries stand at 6,73,999. The recovery rate is 98.88 percent.

11:31 PM

Gujarat records 573 COVID-19 cases, no new Omicron infection, two deaths

Gujarat reported 573 new cases of coronavirus during the last 24 hours, taking the tally of positive cases in the state to 8,31,078, the health department said in a release on Thursday evening.

 

In good news, no new case of the Omicron variant was reported in the state. On Wednesday, daily coronavirus cases in Gujarat had crossed the 500-mark for the first time after over six months. Two COVID-19 patients also succumbed to the infection on Thursday, taking the death toll to 10,118. The tally of recoveries went up to 8,18,589 with 102 persons getting discharged during the day, the release said, adding that of total 2,371 active cases, 11 patients are on ventilator.

 

So far, 97 cases of Omicron strain have been reported in Gujarat. Of these, 44 infected persons have recovered, including three on Thursday, while 53 are still under treatment. At 33, Ahmedabad city accounts for the highest number of Omicron cases, followed by 21 in Vadodara city, nine in Surat city, and eight in Anand district.

11:20 PM

Assam reports 101 fresh COVID-19 cases, two more deaths

Assam's COVID-19 tally rose to 6,20,573 on Thursday as 101 more people tested positive for the infection while two fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 6,164, a National Health Mission (NHM) bulletin said.

 

The north-eastern state had reported 115 coronavirus cases and two fatalities due to the infection on Wednesday.

 

Kamrup Metropolitan district reported the highest of 24 new cases, followed by Dhubri (13), Dibrugarh (10), and Cachar (six).

 

With the detection of 101 cases against the testing of 26,543 samples on Thursday, Assam reported a positivity rate of 0.38 per cent for the day, the bulletin said.

 

The two COVID-19 deaths were reported from Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts.

10:44 PM

India's Omicron COVID tally crosses 1,000; states tighten measures

India's tally of the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID on Thursday crossed 1,000 on the back of Maharashtra reporting its highest single-day infection with the new strain, as states further tightened measures to deal with the surge in coronavirus cases.

 

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, meanwhile, said Omicron is gradually spreading in the community and the variant of concern has been found in 46 per cent of the latest samples of regular COVID cases analysed in the national capital.

 

The Goa government has decided to test for COVID all international passengers, including those travelling from 'non-high risk' countries on their arrival at the airport while West Bengal is to suspend all direct flights from the UK and other 'high-risk' countries from January 3.

 

According to the latest data available from the Centre and the states in the night, the total number of Omicron cases in the country was around 1,200.

 

Maharashtra reported 198 new cases of the Omicron variant, including 190 in Mumbai alone, the state health department said in a release. With this, the tally of these cases in the state rose to 450.

10:28 PM

Markets in Delhi's Seelampur closed for flouting Covid-19 norms

The Delhi government on Thursday ordered closure of three markets in Seelampur in north east Delhi till 10 pm on December 31 for overcrowding and not following Covid guidelines, an official order said.

 

According to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) order issued on Thursday, Seelampur fruit market to police station road market; C, D & F Block markets and Nehru Market in Seelampur will remain closed till 10 pm on December 31 (Friday) or further orders.

 

Sub Divisional Magistrate of Seelampur, Sharat Kumar said an information was received that shopkeepers, vendors and general public in the above mentioned areas were not following the Covid appropriate behaviour which might cause super spreading of coronavirus.

10:17 PM

West Bengal suspends direct flights from UK, at-risk countries from Jan 3; cases double in a day

Alarmed at doubling of COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the West Bengal government on Thursday said it is suspending all direct flights from the UK and those emanating from other high-risk countries from January 3.

 

The state government also announced a mandatory Covid test for all international travellers from non-at risk countries upon arrival. The COVID-19 situation in West Bengal deteriorated further as the state on Thursday registered 2,128 cases, with Kolkata alone accounting for 1,090 of them. The positivity rate stood at a disturbing 5.47 per cent, a government bulletin said.

9:44 PM

52-yr-old Omicron patient dies of heart attack in Pune

A 52-year-old man, who was infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant, died of a heart attack on Tuesday at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital in Pune, said as per the Public Health Department.

 

The patient has a travel history to Nigeria and had diabetes for the last 13 years.

 

"The death of this patient is due to non-COVID-19 reasons. Coincidently, today's NIV report has revealed that he was infected with the Omicron virus," added the health bulletin.

 

As many as 198 cases of Omicron variant infection so far have been reported in the state taking the total count to 450.

 

Of the 198 patients reported by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), 30 are international travellers, according to the bulletin.

9:10 PM

96 patients detected Omicron positive in LNJP hospital, says Dr Suresh Kumar

Out of 209 sample tests that have been conducted so far in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP), 96 patients have been detected Omicron positive in the genome sequencing report, Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director LNJP Hospital said on Thursday.

 

Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director LNJP Hospital said, "We are doing genome sequencing test of all the RT-PCR positive corona patients coming to LNJP. Especially those who are coming from the International Airport."

 

"A total of 209 sample tests have been conducted so far in LNJP's Genome Sequencing Lab, out of which 96 samples have been found to be Omicron positive," Dr Kumar said.

 

"Out of these, 83 patients have been cured and discharged," he said.

9:02 PM

Goyal holds review meeting on medical oxygen preparedness amid rising COVID-19 cases

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday discussed with senior officials effective ways to ensure adequate medical oxygen availability in the country in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases.

 

Due to an unprecedented surge in demand for medical oxygen across the country during the second wave of COVID-19, the demand peaked at nearly 9,000 MT (metric tonnes) as compared to the peak requirement of 3,095 MT during the first wave.

 

The supply of oxygen for medical purposes was enhanced almost 10 times from 1,000 tonnes per day in December 2019 to 9,600 tonnes per day in May this year.

8:30 PM

Delhi reports 1,313 fresh COVID cases

8:25 PM

Maharashtra reports 5,368 fresh COVID cases

7:54 PM

Schools will not be closed as of now: Maharashtra Health Minister

7:37 PM

Gujarat reports 573 new Covid cases

7:07 PM

West Bengal reports 2,128 fresh COVID cases

6:49 PM

Mumbai sees 3,671 new Covid cases in a day