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

7:55 AM

PM Modi to visit Uttarakhand today to lay foundation stone of 23 projects worth over Rs 17,500 cr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Haldwani in Uttarakhand on Thursday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 23 projects worth over Rs 17,500 crore.

 

Among the 23 projects, the foundation stone will be laid for 17 projects worth over Rs 14,100 crore.

7:55 AM

European countries tighten Covid measures to tackle Omicron surge before New Year

Just days before New Year's eve, some European countries have been forced to take stricter measures to cope with surging Covid-19 cases of the Omicron variant.

 

In France, the daily number of Covid-19 cases reached 208,099 on Wednesday, breaking the record on Tuesday and hitting a new high since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

"This means that 24 hours a day, every second, two French people are diagnosed positive," the country's Health Minister, Olivier Veran told the National Assembly while presenting a draft bill of the vaccination pass.

7:28 AM

Congress will not name CM face for Punjab polls: Sunil Jakhar

With just months to go for Punjab Assembly polls, state Congress campaign committee chief Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday made it clear that the party will not announce a chief ministerial face and will fight polls under collective leadership.

 

Jakhar, the former president of Punjab Congress, said the party had never named its CM face adding that it was only an exception that the Congress high command had declared Captain Amarinder Singh as the chief ministerial candidate in the run-up to the 2017 state assembly polls.

 

"We had never announced chief ministerial face before Assembly elections except in 2017, which was an exception. Now also we will not announce chief ministerial face and will contest Assembly elections 2022 under the joint leadership of Congress," Jakhar said on Wednesday.

7:27 AM

Over 2 cr beneficiaries fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Odisha

More than two crore beneficiaries are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 infection in Odisha, informed the Director of Health Services, Bijay Kumar Mohapatra on Wednesday.

 

Speaking to ANI, Mohapatra said, "COVID-19 vaccination program is successfully going on in our state. We have now administered over 4.92 crore doses of COVID vaccine to the beneficiaries here."

 

"Of these, more than two crore people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 virus. We have set a target of vaccinating all the beneficiaries with both doses by January 15, 2022," he said.

7:26 AM

Vaccines still effective against Omicron as T cell immunity holds up better against new variant: WHO

Emphasising that the Omicron variant is infecting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people worldwide, WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said that it appears that vaccines are still proving to be effective because even though the numbers are going up exponentially in many countries, severity of the disease has not surged to a new level.

 

"As expected, T cell immunity holding up better against #Omicron. This will protect us against severe disease. Please get vaccinated if you have not," said Swaminathan in a tweet on Wednesday. Either vaccines or prior infections with COVID-19 trigger human T cell response.

 

Explaining factors that account for vaccine's effectiveness against COVID-19, Swaminathan virtually at the WHO press briefing on Wednesday said that vaccine effectiveness varies a little bit between vaccines though the majority of all of the WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines actually have very high rates of protection against severe disease and death at least till the delta variant.

7:26 AM

Despite Omicron surge, tourists flock to Goa for New Year celebrations

Despite the recent Omicron surge, tourists from different parts of the country are flocking to Goa for New Year celebrations as there is no night curfew here.

 

Speaking to ANI, Joe, a tourist said, "Basically, not only the government, but the public also should think about curbing the pandemic. For the past two years, people were at home and they were stressed, so we have come here for the New Year."

 

He further spoke about the night curfew and said that the government has imposed it due to Christmas and New Year, but there is no night curfew in Goa.

7:26 AM

Greece tightens measures as daily Covid-19 cases triple in 48hrs

Greece's government implemented further protection measures against Covid-19 as the number of new cases tripled in 48 hours.

 

On Monday, the Greek authorities reported an all-time high of 9,284 new daily infections. On Tuesday evening, officials confirmed further 21,657 new cases. Then, on Wednesday, they reported 28,828 new infections.

7:25 AM

Canada sees surging new Covid-19 cases

Canada reported 23,585 new Covid-19 cases, the first time to record more than 20,000 cases on a daily basis, elevating the cumulative total to 2,094,042 cases with 30,231 deaths, according to state news agency.

 

Daily cases have hit record high in Canada recently as the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 races out of control, keeping workers at home and overwhelming testing centres, Xinhua news agency reported.

7:25 AM

UK reports record rise with more than 180,000 daily Covid cases

Britain reported a new record increase of 183,037 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 12,559,926, according to official figures released.

 

The country also reported a further 57 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 148,089 till Wednesday

 

Another 39,923 Omicron cases have been confirmed in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the Covid-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total Omicron cases found in the country to 210,122, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Wednesday.

7:25 AM

No hope for Akali Dal's revival till Badal, Majithia at helm: Channi

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday said till the time Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia are at the helm of the Shiromani Akali Dal, the party cannot hope for a revival.

 

He said Badal and Majithia have brought the SAD, a party that once boasted of tall leaders like late Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra and late Jathedar Jagdev Singh Talwandi, to ruins.

 

7:24 AM

Don't panic, but be vigilant: AIIMS Director Dr Guleria amid Omicron scare

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 pandemic is not over, yet we are in a better position."

 

"We have a large number of people who are vaccinated, still we are witnessing increasing cases. Therefore, it is very important for us to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour including wearing masks, physical distancing, and avoiding crowds so that we do not have a super spreader anywhere," the AIIMS Director said.

7:24 AM

Over 4300 Covid norm violations reported in Delhi in a day

Over 4,300 violations related to Covid-appropriate behaviour were reported here on Wednesday, according to official figures.

 

The figures for December 28 shared by the Delhi government said that out of the total 4,392 violations, 4,248 were related to face mask, 83 to social distancing protocol, and 60 to spitting in public places.

 

Of the 4,248 mask violations, maximum were reported from north district (700) followed by east (635) and southwest (502), the data cited.

7:23 AM

Rahul Gandhi on a brief visit abroad

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has left for a brief visit abroad, a day after the party celebrated its 137th foundation day.

 

Gandhi is learnt to be on a short visit to Italy.

 

"Rahul Gandhi is on a brief personal visit. BJP and its friends in the media should not spread unnecessary rumours," AICC chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

 

Congress sources said Gandhi is scheduled to address an election rally in Moga in Punjab on January 3 and may return in time for the event.