Omicron
Centre advises states to follow five-fold strategy amid Omicron scare
The states have been asked to put in place the local containment measures by the District and local administration when either the test positivity increases beyond 10 per cent or occupancy of oxygenated beds increases beyond 40 per cent. The states have been advised to follow the five-fold strategy of Containment, Testing & Surveillance, Clinical Management, Covid Safe Behavior and Vaccination.
Omicron scare: Christmas, New Year celebrations banned in Delhi
"As per the DDMA order, all social, political, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, and festival related gathering and congregations are completely prohibited in Delhi," the DDMA order read. The DDMA has directed all the district magistrates and DCPs to ensure that no cultural events, gatherings or congregations take place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
Delhi sees one Covid death, 102 fresh infections
In the last 24 hours, one Covid related death has also been reported, taking the total tally at 25,102. With the new cases, the city's cumulative tally has climbed to 14,42,390. The number of active cases has also climbed to 557 with Covid infection rate at 0.2 per cent. With 75 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries is 14,16,731. A total of 262 Covid patients are being treated in home isolation at present.
Delhi reports two new Omicron cases; tally touches 24
According to Delhi Health Department, of the 24 cases, 12 have been discharged from the hospital and the remaining 12 are under treatment. Following the rise in the new Covid variant Omicron infection in the city, Delhi government has prepared 65 oxygen beds operational at Commonwealth Games Villages Covid centre.
Delhi records 107 new Covid cases, 1 death
With the new cases, the national capital's infection tally has now climbed to 14,42,197, while the latest death takes the Covid toll to 25,101. The fatality rate currently stands at 1.74 per cent, while the Covid infection rate has gone up to 0.17 per cent.
Mandatory for int'l passengers to pre-book RT-PCR tests
The international passengers arriving at six major Indian airports would be required to pre-book their tests. "The 'Air Suvidha' portal would be modified to allow the passengers to pre-book their RT-PCR test if they are coming from the 'AT RISK' countries or have visited 'AT RISK' countries in the last 14 days," Ministry of Civil Aviation said in an office memorandum on Tuesday. "Link to the concerned airport website would be provided on the Air Suvidha platform, which would be displayed to the passengers while they fill up the self-declaration form (SDF)," it added.
Omicron will not likely affect India the way Delta did: Top virologist
The Omicron variant, thought to be more virulent than its predecessor Delta, was first identified in South Africa in November and has since spread to more than 60 countries around the world. "India in December 2021 is very different from India in March 2021," Dr Jameel, a visiting scientist at Ashoka University, told IANS. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), "preliminary data doesn't indicate that this is more severe".
Omicron spread: Weekend restrictions clamped in Mumbai
The orders, which came into effect from midnight (Friday-Saturday), were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), and shall be in force till midnight (Sunday-Monday). "The order has been issued to prevent danger to human life from Omicron, new variant of Covid-19, as well as a threat to the law and order situation against the backdrop of the violence that took place in Amravati, Malegaon (Nashik) and Nanded," said the notification.
Delhi reports second case of Omicron variant
As per Delhi government sources, the person -- fully vaccinated, came from Zimbabwe and had travelled to South Africa. The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, 2021. The first patient to have tested positive for Omicron in Delhi is a resident of Ranchi and had travelled from Tanzania to Doha and from there to Delhi on a Qatar Airways flight on December 2.
Is there risk of Omicron affecting kids in India as in South Africa?
According to health officials in South Africa, the new super mutant variant of Covid-19 Omicron has been increasing hospitalisations among children under five years of age. Wassila Jassat, public health specialist at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), said: "A new trend in this wave is the increase in hospitalisation of children under five."
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