In the last 24 hours, India registered 13,154 new Covid-19 cases and 268 deaths, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.
With the addition of the new fatalities, the total death toll has climbed to 4,80,860.
Meanwhile, the Omicron infection tally has climbed at 961 across the nation, of 320 patients have been discharged from hospitals.
Delhi with 263 Omicron cases followed by Maharashtra with 252 and Gujarat with 97 cases added the most to the national tally of the highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus.
A total of 22 states have reported detected the new variant, the Ministry confirmed.
Meanwhile, the recovery of 7,486 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 3,42,58,778. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.38 per cent.
India’s active caseload is 82,402, which accounts for 0.24 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.
Also in the same period, a total of 11,99,252 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the total tally to 67.64 crore.
The weekly positivity rate at 0.76 per cent has remained less than 1 per cent for the last 46 days now.
The daily positivity rate at 1.10 per cent has also remained below 2 per cent for last 87 days and less than 3 per cent for 122 consecutive days now.
With the administration of 63,91,282 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s Covid inoculation coverage reached 143.83 crore as of Thursday morning.
More than 16.93 crore balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs, said the Ministry.
On the vaccination front, the cumulative doses administered crossed the 1.43 billion mark. “With the administration of 63,91,282 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 143.83 Cr (1,43,83,22,742) as per provisional reports till 7 am today,” the ministry said in a statement.
More about Omicron
The Omicron variant has been called a variant of concern by WHO based on studies that shows it has several mutations.
Still a lot of research is underway to evaluate its transmissibility, severity and reinfection risk.
The Omicron variant has been detected in several regions of the world. WHO reports that the likelihood of the Omicron variant spreading further globally is high.
It is not currently known if the Omicron variant is more or less severe than other strains of COVID-19, including Delta. Studies are ongoing and this information will be updated as it becomes available.
It is not yet clear whether Omicron can spread more easily from person to person compared to other variants, such as Delta.
However, being vaccinated and taking precautions such as avoiding crowded spaces, keeping your distance from others and wearing a mask are critical in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we know these actions have been effective against other variants.
Researchers are looking into any potential impact the Omicron variant has on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Although information is still limited, WHO believes it is a reasonable assumption that the currently available vaccines offer some protection against severe disease and death.
It is also important to be vaccinated to protect against the other widely circulating variants, such as the Delta one. When it’s your turn, make sure to get vaccinated. If your vaccination involves two doses, it’s important to receive both in order to have the maximum protection.
According to WHO, early evidence suggests that people who have previously had COVID-19 could be reinfected more easily with Omicron, in comparison to other variants of concern. Information is still limited though and we will share updates as it becomes available.
Source: UNICEFRead more Health News
Latest update Omicron
