LIVE: Maharashtra sees 26 more cases of Omicron; night curfew in Kerala

Telangana reports 12 new Omicron cases in the last 24 hours

1:15 PM

Right way to go: Shastri backs split captaincy

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has supported the splitting of captaincy in the red and white ball formats, saying it is the right way to go.

While Virat Kohli remains the Test skipper, one of the finest white-ball exponents and star opener, Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the T20 and ODI captain.

"I think it's the right way to go. This could be a blessing in disguise for Virat, and for Rohit, because I don't think in this era if the bubble life exists for another year or so, one guy can handle all, that is not easy at all," Shastri, himself a former India all-rounder, said on Star Sports show 'BOLD & BRAVE: THE SHASTRI WAY'.

1:11 PM

Omicron will spike Covid cases 'much higher': Fauci

Even as the Omicron variant rapidly spreads across the globe, cases of Covid-19 are likely going to keep surging, top US infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has said.

The highly transmissible variant has outpaced Delta, to become the dominant variant, accounting for nearly three-quarters of Covid cases in the country.

According to Johns Hopkins University's latest update on Monday morning, the US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 52,259,716 and 816,597. Till last Thursday, the US had reported more than 51 million total cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The US also topped 800,000 total deaths from the disease in mid-December.

12:52 PM

Delhi: Captain Amarinder Singh visits Amit Shah's residence

Punjab Lok Congress president and former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday morning was seen arriving at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah here in the national capital.

According to sources, he is also likely to meet BJP national president JP Nadda today.

In November, Singh resigned from the Congress party and announced a new party 'Punjab Lok Congress' ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

12:39 PM

Sonowal tasks experts with feasibility report on organic farming in NE

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal asked an expert group of academicians and agri-entrepreneurs to draw up a report on the feasibility of organic and natural farming in the Northeast that can serve as a roadmap for future policymaking.

He also stressed on the need for promoting sustainable farming by combining traditional practices with modern technology, an official statement said.

Sonowal, the Union Minister of AYUSH, was apprised about the existing types of farming and their economic as well as ecological viability at a meeting with an expert group here on Sunday to explore the possibility of an agriculture-driven growth, especially for the farming community of the Northeast, it said.

12:28 PM

Omicron scare: TN doctors want edu institutions to shift to online mode

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association has requested Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to shift school and college classes purely to online mode.

In a representation to the chief minister, the association's president Dr K. Senthil said that Omicron variant of the Covid-19 is a super spreader and spreads four times faster than the earlier Delta variants.

11:37 AM

Cannot imprison my thoughts: Rahul quotes Mahatma

Slamming the remarks made against Mahatma Gandhi at a function in Raipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday quoted the Father of the Nation that his thoughts cannot be imprisoned.

The Wayanad Lok Sabha member's remarks came after a section of Hindu religious leaders sang paeans to Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, at a religious congregation in Raipur on Sunday.

"You can chain me, torture me, you can destroy this body, but you cannot imprison my thoughts," the former Congress President said quoting the Mahatma.

11:36 AM

Arunachal Pradesh reports single COVID-19 case

Arunachal Pradesh recorded one new COVID-19 case on Monday, pushing the tally to 55,332, a senior health department official said here.

The frontier state now has 16 active COVID-19 cases.

As many as 55,036 people have recuperated from the disease so far, the official said.

11:35 AM

South Korea approves Pfizer's oral Covid-19 pill

South Korea on Monday approved an emergency authorization of US drug giant Pfizer Inc.'s oral drug to treat Covid-19, making it the first such pill to be used in the country.

Paxlovid is the antiviral pill for the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 in patients at increased risk of hospitalisation or death, according to Pfizer and the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The Ministry convened a panel of experts from both inside and outside to review the safety and efficacy of Paxlovid, and concluded that the oral pill is needed to deal with the public health crisis, reports Yonhap News Agency.

11:34 AM

China Begins City-Wide Disinfection of Xian to Fight Outbreak

The western Chinese city of Xian has begun widespread disinfection measures since late Sunday to counter a jump in Covid infections that forced the lockdown of 13 million residents.

 

Authorities are spraying disinfectants across the city and asking residents to close windows and avoid touching architectural surfaces and vegetation on streets. The move came as daily infections spike to around 150 on Sunday and Monday, as health authorities seek to uncover more cases with a fourth round of mass testing.

 

10:57 AM

Covid-19 will not be the last pandemic humanity will face, warns UN chief

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Monday warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is not the last of its kind and that people should take measures to prevent such crises in the future.

 

"COVID19 will not be the last pandemic humanity will face. As we respond to this health crisis, we need to prepare for the next one. On this International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, let's give this issue the focus, attention and investment it deserves," UN Secretary-General Guterres said in a tweet.

10:42 AM

India logs highest single day rise of Omicron cases, tally climbs to 578

India saw the highest single day rise of Omicron infections with 156 fresh cases, taking the total tally of such cases to 578, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The ministry said 151 out of the 578 people who contracted the infection have recovered or migrated.

The 578 cases have been detected across 19 states and UTs with Delhi recording the maximum number of 142 cases followed by Maharashtra at 141, Kerala 57, Gujarat 49, Rajasthan 43 and Telangana 41.

With 6,531 people testing positive for coronavirus infections in a day India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 3,47,93,333, while the active cases declined to 75,841, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The death toll has climbed to 4,79,997 with 315 fresh fatalities, the data stated.

10:05 AM

Biden expresses condolences over death of Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have expressed condolences over the death of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, South African Anglican archbishop, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Tutu passed away on Sunday at the age of 90, in Cape Town, according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who said that the activist's death "is another chapter of bereavement in our nation's farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans."

Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama have both expressed condolences over Tutu's death. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he was "deeply saddened" by the passing of the "towering global figure for peace and justice." UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Tutu will be remembered for his "spiritual leadership and irrepressible good humor."

9:36 AM

UP reports 59 new Covid cases, 17 in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh has seen another spurt in Covid cases in the past 24 hours with 59 new cases being reported.

The total number of active cases under treatment in the state has crossed the 300-mark.

In all, 59 new Covid-19 cases were reported till Sunday while in the past 48-hours 96 new cases have been detected.

"In the past 24 hours, 18,587 Covid samples were tested and 59 new cases were reported," said Amit Mohan Prasad, additional chief secretary (medical health), in a press statement.

9:32 AM

Ashes: Four positive COVID-19 cases reported in England camp

Cricket Australia on Monday confirmed that two members of the England Cricket Team's support staff and two of their family members have tested COVID-19 positive during the Rapid Antigen Test.

 

"The affected individuals are currently isolating," Cricket Australia said in an official statement.The entire playing group and all other support staff have undertaken Rapid Antigen Tests this morning and all have tested negative.

 

9:00 AM

Election Commission to meet health ministry officials today, discuss polls in 5 states amid COVID-19

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will convene a meeting with senior officials of the Union Health Ministry including Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Monday to discuss about the current COVID-19 situation as five states are going into polls next year, informed ECI sources.

 

Assembly elections are due in five states including Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Punjab for next year.

 

"The Election Commission of India will convene a meeting on December 27 at 11 am with senior officials of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare including Secretary Rajesh Bhushan. The meeting will discuss the prevailing COVID19 situation for upcoming Assembly elections in five states," highly placed sources said.