Coronavirus India Latest Updates: Prime Minister Chairs High-Level Meeting As Omicron Cases Jump
Follow the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination numbers in India here.
PM Chairs High-Level Meeting To Review Omicron Preparedness
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting and reviewed the preparedness of the Centre and state's measures for management of Covid-19 and the new variant of concern, omicron.
PM Modi directed the officials for maintaining a high level of vigil and alertness at all levels. "The fight against the pandemic is not over," he said, and that the need for continued adherence to COVID safe behaviour is of paramount importance even today.
According to a government press release, the Prime Minister directed for sending a good number of positive samples for genome sequencing to INSACOG Labs in a prompt manner. "PM directed officials that the Central Government should send teams to states with low vaccination, rising cases, insufficient health infrastructure to assist them improve the situation," the release read.
Merck's Covid-19 Pill Receives FDA Nod
Merck's Covid-19 drug, molnupiravir, has received emergency authorization from the U.S. FDA, hours after Pfizer's pill Paxlovid received the nod.
India's Dr. Reddy's had earlier this year signed up with Merck to manufacture the drug for the company.
Gujarat Sees 7 More Omicron Cases
Gujarat's total tally of omicron cases has gone up to 30, as the state detected 7 more cases of the variant. 25 cases of those are currently considered active.
Mumbai Records Most Cases In A Day Since Oct. 6
Mumbai has reported 602 new Covid-19 cases, 207 recoveries and one death in the last 24 hours.
This is the highest single-day rise in new cases in the city since Oct. 6.
23 New Omicron Cases Detected In Maharashtra
Maharashtra has reported 1,179 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
Of these, 23 patients have been found to be infected by omicron variant. This takes the tally to a total of 88 patients infected with the omicron variant in the state till now.
Madhya Pradesh Imposes Night Curfew Amid Omicron Spike
In view of rising Covid-19 cases, Madhya Pradesh has imposed night curfew (11 p.m. to 5 a.m.) from today till further orders, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
Omicron In Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu reports 33 fresh Omicron cases, said State Health minister MA Subramanian. The total tally for the new Covid-19 variant in the state stands at 34 now.
Total Omicron cases in India are at 269.
India's active Covid-19 cases rose for the first time in two weeks at a time the Omicron spreads rapidly in the country.
As many as 7,495 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry’s update at 8 a.m. on Dec. 23. That compares with nearly 6,960 recoveries during the period.
Active cases account for 0.23% of India's total tally, while recoveries form 98.40%.
Key Figures:
Total confirmed cases: 3,47,65,976
Total number of active cases: 78,291
Total patients cured/discharged/migrated: 3,42,08,926
Total deaths: 4,78,759
Number of fresh cases in last 24 hours: 7,495
One-day recoveries: 6,960
One-day deaths: 434
Total vaccines administered: 1,39,69,76,774
Vaccines administered in the last 24 hours: 70,17,671