Omicron Coronavirus Live Updates: Omicron Driving Covid-19 Surge In Cities, Says Govt

Mumbai reported 15,166 fresh Covid-19 cases in a day, after reporting over 10,800 fresh cases yesterday.

This compares with three deaths due to the Covid-19 disease during the past 24 hours.

The active cases in the city now stand at 61,923, according to the daily update by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

A sharp increase seen in case positivity from 0.79% on Dec. 29, 2021 to 5.03% on January 5, Ministry of Health said in a briefing.

Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Gujarat are the states of concern, where there has been a rise in cases.

28 districts in the country reported more than 10% weekly positivity, the ministry said.

Kerala reported 4,801 new cases and 29 deaths in a day.

With this active cases now stand at 22,910 and death tally at 48,895, ANI reported citing Kerala goverment statement. Daily recoveries in the state at 1,813.

Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 4,246 fresh Covid-19 infections and two deaths in the last 24 hours.

Delhi added 10,665 new Covid-19 cases and reported eight deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the government's update as of Jan. 5.

The positivity rate in Delhi rose to 11.88%, active cases stand at 23,307.

The Covid-19 infections are rising in cities as the Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly, the government officials said.

"Upsurge of Covid-19 infections is happening in cities and Omicron is the predominant circulating strain. Mass gatherings to be avoided to lower the speed of this spread," Balram Bhargava, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research said.

The government further said that precautionary dose of Covid-19 vaccine for healthcare, frontline workers, 60+ with comorbidities will be same as the vaccine as administered earlier.

"Those who've received Covaxin will receive Covaxin, those who've received primary two doses of Covishield will receive Covishield," said Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog.

The Health Ministry has issued revised guidelines for home isolation of mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

"Patients under home isolation will stand discharged and end isolation after at least 7 days have passed from testing positive and no fever for 3 successive days. There is no need for re-testing after the home isolation period is over," the ministry said in a note.

DCGI's Subject Expert Committee has granted 'in-principle' approval to Bharat Biotech for the conduct of 'Phase III superiority study & Phase III booster dose study' for its intranasal COVID vaccine; has asked it to submit protocols for approval, reported ANI.

India’s Omicron tally crossed 2,000 after the country added 243 more cases of the new Covid-19 variant.

At present, six states—Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala and Tamil Nadu—have more than 100 Omicron cases.

India added the most Covid-19 cases in almost 200 days as the Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly across the country.

The nation reported as many as 58,097 fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the most since June 20, according to the Health Ministry’s update at 8 a.m. on Jan. 5. That compares with nearly 15,389 recoveries during the period.

India’s daily positivity rate rose to 4.18%.

Key Figures:

• Total confirmed cases: 3,50,18,358

• Total number of active cases: 2,14,004

• Total patients cured/discharged/migrated: 3,43,21,803

• Total deaths: 4,82,551

• Number of fresh cases in last 24 hours: 58,097

• One-day recoveries: 15,389

• One-day deaths: 534

• Total vaccines administered: 1,47,72,08,846

• Vaccines administered in the last 24 hours: 96,43,238

Active cases, too, rose and breached the 2-lakh mark, and now account for 0.61% of the nation’s total tally.