India reported 7,554 new coronavirus cases, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,29,38,599, while the active cases dipped to 85,680, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The death toll climbed to 5,14,246 with 223 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The daily COVID-19 cases have remained less than one lakh for 24 consecutive days.
The active cases comprises 0.20 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 98.60 per cent, the ministry said.
Delhi logs 325 new Covid cases, 1 death in a day; positivity rate 0.81 per cent.
Meghalaya on Wednesday recorded 19 new cases, one less than the previous day, pushing the tally to 93,516, a senior health department official said.
Health Services Director Dr Aman War said the COVID-19 deaths rose to 1,580 as two more persons died due to the infection.
Meghalaya now has 158 active COVID-19 cases, while 91,778 people have recovered from the disease, Mr War said.
Of the 19 new cases, eight were reported from East Khasi Hills district, six from Ri Bhoi and one each from East Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills district respectively.
The state has tested over 13.61 lakh samples for COVID-19 till date, he said. A total of 23.55 lakh people have been inoculated in the state, War said.
Odisha on Wednesday recorded its lowest daily spike in COVID-19 cases in two months as 143 more people, including 28 children, tested positive for the infection, taking the state’s caseload to 12,85,349, a health bulletin said.
Six more people died due to the infection, pushing the state’s coronavirus death toll to 9,085, it said.
The daily positivity rate was at 0.28 per cent as 50,481 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.
The daily infections are lowest since December 27, when the state had logged 123 cases. It had registered 168 cases and eight deaths on Tuesday.
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 10,019 on Wednesday as two more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.
Four more people succumbed to coronavirus in Punjab on Tuesday while 51 new cases took the infection tally to 7,58,139, according to a medical bulletin.
The deaths were reported from Ludhiana, Fazilka, Jalandhar and Pathankot. With this, the toll reached 17,712, it said.
The number of active cases in the state is 618.
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
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