India has reported over 100 cases of the Omicron variant in 11 States, with Maharashtra registering the highest of 32 cases, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said on Friday, adding that there is “no evidence to suggest that vaccines are not effective against Omicron”.
India is now administering vaccines at the highest rate in the world and that the daily rate of doses administered is 4.8 times the rate in the U.S. and 12.5 times the rate in the U.K., Mr. Agarwal said at a press conference.
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The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 infects and multiplies faster than the Delta variant and original SARS-CoV-2 in the human bronchus , which may explain why it may transmit faster between people than previous variants. However, it does not easily infect the lower lungs and this, researchers say, potentially explains why instances of severe disease are proportionally lower in cases involving Omicron.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here . A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest developments :
Delhi logs 10 new cases of Omicron, total reaches 20: Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said 10 new cases of the new Covid variant Omicron have been detected in the national capital, taking the tally to 20.
Ten of these patients have been discharged, he said.
The minister said 10 out of the 40 samples sent for genome sequencing tested positive for the new variant.
The minister had on Thursday said many international travellers are turning out Covid positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. -PTI
Three Omicron patients discharged
A Zimbabwe-based NRI man, his wife and brother-in-law, who were found infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus in Jamnagar city of Gujarat earlier this month, have now tested negative for the infection and were given discharge from a hospital here, officials said on Friday.
They were the first three patients of Omicron variant in Gujarat, which later reported two more such cases - one in Surat and another in Mehsana.
"All the three Omicron patients have recovered from the infection. Their latest COVID-19 tests gave negative results, following which the trio was given discharge from the hospital. The Omicron ward is now empty," said Dr Saugata Chatterjee, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the government-run G G Hospital in Jamnagar city.
On December 4, genome sequencing had established that the 72-year-old NRI man, who arrived here from Zimbabwe, one of the 'at-risk' countries, had contracted the Omicron variant of COVID-19. It was the first case of the new strain in Gujarat.
The elderly man had taken both the doses of a Chinese vaccine in Zimbabwe. When his RT-PCR test came positive, authorities kept him in an isolation ward and sent his samples for genome sequencing.
Two days later, his wife, who had come with him from Zimbabwe, and his brother-in-law, who lives in Jamnagar, had also tested positive for coronavirus. On December 10, genome sequencing had established that they were also infected with the Omicron variant. -PTI
New drug could treat patients hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia: Lancet study
A newly identified drug may be used to effectively treat some patients hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia, according to a study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal The team, including researchers from the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxford, UK, tested namilumab -- an antibody already in late-stage trials to treat rheumatoid arthritis -- in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia.
The patients were receiving 'usual' care, as well as having high levels in their blood of a marker of inflammation known as C reactive protein (CRP). -PTI
South Africa to donate 2 million J&J COVID-19 shots to African countries
South Africa said on Friday it would donate roughly 2 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine to other African countries.
The shots will be made available over the next year through a medical supplies platform set up by the African Union (AU).
"This donation embodies South Africa's solidarity with our brothers and sisters on the continent with whom we are united in fighting an unprecedented threat to public health and economic prosperity," the South African government said in a joint statement with an AU vaccine task team. -Reuters
Three passengers from U.K. test COVID-19 positive in Goa, samples sent for genome sequencing
Three passengers, who arrived in Goa from the United Kingdom on Friday morning, tested positive for coronavirus and their samples were sent for genome sequencing to know whether they are infected with the Omicron variant, a state minister said.
In a tweet, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Friday said, "Three patients tested positive from a flight that arrived today morning from the UK. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing, reports awaited." These three passengers arrived in the state in the 101st flight under the government's Vande Bharat Mission from London's Heathrow Airport, the Goa airport authorities said. -PTI
Active COVID-19 cases in country decline to 86,415
India logged 7,447 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,47,26,049, while the active cases declined to 86,415, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The death toll climbed to 4,76,869 with 391 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been recorded below 15,000 for the last 50 days now.
The active cases comprise 0.25% of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.38%, the highest since March 2020,the ministry said. -PTI
U.N. chief urges 'concrete' moves on year-end vaccine goal
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres exhorted the world Thursday, December 16, 2021, to make “concrete" progress within days toward a now-distant goal of vaccinating 40% of the global population against COVID-19 before the year ends.
“Vaccine inequity is giving variants a free pass to run wild,” Mr. Guterres — working from home because of exposure to the coronavirus — told reporters by videoconference as countries grappled with the spread of the virus' omicron variant .
“The strategy of vaccine hoarding, the strategy of vaccine nationalism or the strategy of vaccine diplomacy has failed. This new variant has demonstrated this failure,” said Mr. Guterres, who came into contact last week with someone who tested positive for the virus; it's not clear which version. Mr. Guterres has since tested negative but said he’s remaining in isolation until the end of this week.
TAC for imposing Sec. 144, night curfew in the run-up to New Year
Celebrations that draw crowds and revellers on New Year’s Eve in the State will not be allowed this year too, if the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee’s (TAC) recommendations are implemented.
Recommending curbs for Christmas and New Year celebrations in Karnataka, TAC has advised the government to impose Section 144 from December 22 to January 2 and night curfew from December 30 till January 2 in Bengaluru and other identified cities across the State.
Brazil regulator approves Covid vaccine for children
Brazil's health regulator approved the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine Thursday for use in children aged five to 11, joining a growing list of countries green-lighting vaccination for kids.
However, it is not clear when the hard-hit South American country will begin vaccinating children, if at all.
The matter now passes to the health ministry, which will first have to decide whether to add Covid-19 vaccines for five- to 11-year-olds to the national immunization program and acquire child-size doses -- one-third the adult dose. -AFP
Pakistan-West Indies ODI series called off over Covid cases
A one-day international series between hosts Pakistan and the West Indies starting this weekend was called off Thursday because of a Covid-19 outbreak among the visitors, officials from both sides said.
Five members of the West Indies squad -- including three players -- tested positive for Covid on Thursday, in addition to four cases reported at the weekend.
The three-match series, which was due to start Saturday, is part of the qualifying round for the 2023 World Cup. -AFP
EU summit to discuss spread of Omicron
A summit of European Union leaders on Thursday is trying to coordinate action to tackle the surge of coronavirus infections across the continent and the emergence of the new Omicron variant while keeping borders open.
With the festive season looming, the bloc’s leaders want to avoid a confusing mixture of rules and to ensure all 27 member states are on the same page and that COVID-19 certificates continue to guarantee unrestricted travel.
U.S. faces a double COVID-19 surge as Omicron advances
The new Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 speeding around the world may bring another wave of chaos, threatening to further stretch hospital workers already struggling with a surge of Delta cases and upend holiday plans for the second year in a row.
The White House on Wednesday insisted there was no need for a lockdown because vaccines are widely available and appear to offer protection against the worst consequences of the virus.
CDC panel recommends Pfizer, Moderna vaccines over J&J shot
Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health advisers recommended Thursday.
The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations — while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don't come with that risk and also appear to be more effective, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. -AP
Nashik: At least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for entry at public places from December 23
In a bid to increase the anti-coronavirus inoculation percentage, the Nashik district administration on Thursday decided to implement the 'no vaccine-no entry' rule from December 23 at public places, including offices, restaurants, shopping malls, theatres and marriage halls, an official said.
The rule mandates that anyone who seeks entry at these places should have received at least one vaccine dose, he said. -PTI
