50,407 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the country, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.
With this, the country’s active caseload currently stands at 6,10,443 which accounts for 1.43 per cent of total cases.
The daily positivity rate in India has been recorded at 3.48 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 5.07 per cent.
A total of 1,36,962 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours and the cumulative tally of recovered patients since the beginning of the pandemic is now at 4,14,68,120. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 97.37 per cent while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.
Mizoram’s COVID-19 tally increased to 1,95,189 on Saturday as 1,822 more people, including 443 children, tested positive for the infection, an official said.
The coronavirus death count rose to 635 as one more patient succumbed to the infection, the official said. The state had reported 1,641 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths on the previous day.
The northeastern state now has 12,623 active cases, while 1,81,931 people have recovered from the infection so far, the official said.
Puducherry witnessed a steep fall in the number of new COVID-19 cases with only 81 fresh infections reported in the Union Territory on Saturday taking the overall tally to 1,65,152. The Union Territory had reported 149 cases on Friday and taking the overall tally to 1,65,152.
Thirteen more people succumbed to COVID-19 in Punjab on Friday while 454 fresh coronavirus cases took the infection tally to 7,54,812, a medical bulletin said.
Deaths were reported from several districts including Amritsar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur and Hoshiarpur.
In a major relaxation, the Tamil Nadu government has permitted nursery and play schools will reopen on February 14 amid a decline in COVID-19 cases. This comes just days after physical classes from 1-12 standards in all schools were allowed to reopen from February 1.
While exhibitions have been allowed in the state, the ban on public gatherings at community, cultural and political events will continue, according to the new guidelines.
The government had ordered schools to close while permitting classes for higher secondary students till Pongal (mid-January). Later, all the higher secondary schools were asked to remain shut till January-end.
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
