India reported 6,650 cases on Friday with 374 deaths in the last 24 hours till 8:00 AM, as per the Health Ministry data.
Delhi’s daily infections on Thursday stood at 118, slightly lower than Wednesday’s infections of 125 which were highest in the last six months. Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s daily Covid cases stood at 1,179, with 17 casualties on the previous day.
The Omicron cases in the country on Friday surged to 358 with maximum cases in Maharashtra at 88, followed by Delhi at 67 and Telangana at 38. There has been no casualty so far in the country due to Omicron and the cases have been mild or asymptomatic so far.
In addition, the country’s weekly positivity rate was at 0.59 per cent, remaining less than 1 per cent for the last 40 days. The daily positivity rate stood at 0.57 per cent, remaining below 2 per cent for the last 81 days and below 3 per cent for 116 consecutive days.
Meanwhile, India conducted 11.65 lakh Covid tests on Thursday aggregating to 66.98 crore tests done so far, as per the data. Also, India administered 57.44 lah vaccine doses till 8:00 AM in the morning taking to a total of 140.31 crore inoculations done so far. Also, the Government informed that more than 17.97 crore vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
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
