LIVE: Maharashtra reports 11,877 fresh Covid cases, 50 Omicron infections

Live news updates: Prime Minister Modi says coronavirus won't stall economic growth; 12 pilgrims die in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine

Live news updates: Coronavirus cases are increasing in Delhi but they are "very mild" and do not need hospitalisation, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday. Hospital bed occupancy is less than one per cent unlike the deadly second wave of infections in April last year, he said.

India recorded 27,553 new cases of Covid-19 and 284 deaths from the disease in 24 hours, said the health ministry Sunday. Total cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant increased to 1,525. Total coronavirus cases increased to 34.88 million and fatalities to 481,770.

States must set up makeshift hospitals and form special teams, said the central government Saturday amid a surge in Covid-19 cases driven largely by the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of the virus.

At least 12 pilgrims died and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning.

11:28 PM

China starts 2022 with biggest tally of Covid-19 cases

China welcomed the year 2022 with the worst tally of Covid-19 cases for any seven-day period since subduing the country's first epidemic nearly two years ago.

The National Health Commission reported on Saturday 175 new community infections with confirmed clinical symptoms for December 31, bringing the total number of local symptomatic cases in mainland China in the past week to 1,151, reported Al Jazeera.

10:19 PM

Over 600 people fined for violating Covid protocols in Delhi

More than 600 challans were issued for violation of Covid protocols while 228 FIRs were registered against those found violating night curfew, police said on Sunday.
 

According to data shared by the Delhi Police, the 228 FIRs under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code were registered as part of action taken against those found violating night curfew on January 1 from 10 pm to 5 am on January 2.

9:38 PM

Goa's Covid-19 positivity rate touches 10.7%

The sizable number of tourists that descended on Goa for the Christmas-New Year festival season may be behind the Covid-19 positivity rate crossing 10 per cent on Sunday, the PTI reported.

They said 388 cases were detected on Sunday from 3,604 tests, a positivity rate (cases per 100 test) of 10.7 per cent.

The addition during the day took the tally in the coastal state to 1,81,570, while one death increased the toll to 3,523.

9:36 PM

Don't panic, strictly follow Covid-19 norms, says Mumbai civic chief

On a day Mumbai reported 8,063 fresh coronavirus positive cases, civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal on Sunday sought to allay apprehensions of citizens, saying that 89 per cent of the infections are asymptomatic and 90 per cent of beds are vacant.
 

He urged people to strictly adhere to Covid-19 protocols.
 

Mask is mandatory in the public domain and citizens should refrain from going to crowded places. All must join hands to tide over this new wave of COVID pandemic, he stressed.

9:16 PM

Kerala logs 45 new Omicron cases, tally rises to 152

Kerala recorded 45 more new Omicron infections and with this, the total cases climbed to 152, the PTI reported.
 

Out of 45, 9 cases came from high-risk countries, 32 from low-risk countries, and 4 got through contact.
 

The current list of "at-risk" countries for the Covid-19 Omicron variant includes the United Kingdom, other countries in Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, and Israel.

9:00 PM

Gujarat logs 968 new Covid-19 cases; active tally crosses 4,000

Gujarat on Sunday reported 968 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the tally of infections to 8,33,769, the state health department said, the PTI reported.
 

With one fatality in the Valsad district, the Covid-19 death toll rose to 10,120.
 

A total of 141 patients were discharged during the day. The number of recoveries in Gujarat now stands at 8,18,896, it said.

8:59 PM

Over 350 new Covid cases in Rajasthan, maximum from Jaipur

Rajasthan recorded 355 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday, including 224 from Jaipur alone, raising the state's infection count to 9,56,883, officials said.

No death linked to the virus was recorded in Rajasthan in the last 24 hours, a Medical and Health Department official said, adding that 1,572 Covid patients are under treatment in the state.

Thirty more people recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, pushing the recovery count to 9,46,347 in the state, the department data showed.

8:31 PM

Maharashtra reports 11,877 fresh Covid-19 cases

Maharashtra reports 11,877 fresh Covid-19 cases, 2,707 more than the day before; 50 Omicron infections: Health department, PTI reported

8:18 PM

Over 635,000 registrations on CoWIN for Covid vaccination of 15-18 years age group

The CoWIN platform has till Sunday evening recorded over six lakh registrations in the age group of 15 to 18 years whose Covid vaccination is set to begin from January 3.
 

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya advised states and Union Territories to provide separate vaccination centres, session sites, queue and different vaccination teams for the 15-18 year age group to avoid the mixing-up of vaccines.
 

The vaccine option for this age group would only be Covaxin, according to guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry on December 27.

8:04 PM

Nashik sees 117 Covid-19 cases, no death; 64 recover

The Covid-19 tally in Nashik district in Maharashtra reached 4,14,217 on Sunday after 117 cases were detected, while the death toll remained unchanged at 8,756, PTI reported.

So far, 4,04,770 people have been discharged post recovery, including 64 during the day.

7:44 PM

With rise in Omicron cases, SC to conduct hearings virtually for next two weeks

The Supreme Court on Sunday decided to conduct all hearings in virtual mode for two weeks starting from January 3, in view of rising number of cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, PTI reported.

 

The Supreme Court administration issued a circular announcing the decision on Sunday evening.

 

It stated that an earlier circular prescribing standard operating procedure (SOP) for physical hearing (hybrid hearing) will remain suspended for the time being.

 

7:42 PM

Mumbai reports 8,063 fresh Covid-19 cases, zero fatality

Mumbai reported 8,063 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday and zero new deaths, said a health bulletin by BMC, according to PTI.

7:20 PM

Bengal records 6,153 Covid-19 cases

West Bengal on Sunday reported 6,153 Covid-19 cases which is 1,641 more than Saturday's count, the state health department said, according to PTI.

7:18 PM

Seven new cases take Sikkim's tally to 32,517

Sikkim's COVID-19 tally rose to 32,517 on Sunday as seven more people tested positive for the infection, a health department bulletin said, according to PTI.

 

Of the new cases, East Sikkim logged five, while West Sikkim and North Sikkim reported one each.

 

Sikkim now has 58 active COVID-19 cases, 342 patients have migrated to other states and 31,708 people have recovered from the infection.

7:17 PM

Karnataka registers 1,187 Covid-19 cases, six deaths

Continuing the rising trend of COVID-19 cases for the second day, Karnataka recorded 1,187 fresh infections and six deaths taking the cumulative cases and fatalities in the state to 30,09,557 and 38346 respectively, the health department said on Sunday, according to PTI.

 

The department said in its bulletin that 275 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,60,890 while the total active cases stood at 10,292.

 

The spike in cases was driven by Bengaluru Urban, which contributed 923 infections and three deaths.