India reported 1,17,100 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, over 28 per cent higher than the previous day's cases. In order to deal with the surge, the government is speeding up vaccination drives across the country. Those in the age group 15-18 are now being inoculated.
The number of deaths climbed to 4,83,178 with 302 more fatalities, the data showed.
A total of 3,007 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 1,199 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Wednesday.
Several states have announced restrictions like night curfew as Covid cases continue to rise.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
352 healthcare workers, including 157 doctors, of PGIMER in Chandigarh have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since during the past over a fortnight, the premier institute said in a statement on Friday.
(PTI)
The Calcutta High Court today rejected a bid to cancel Bengal's Ganga Sagar Mela despite fears the vast gathering could spread coronavirus infections as the country sees an Omicron-driven surge in cases.
Amid the surge in coronavirus cases in the national capital, the Delhi government today said that shops dealing in non-essential goods will only be allowed to open on an odd-even basis between 10 am to 8 pm in the city.
Delhi's daily Covid cases shot up by 15 per cent today after 17,335 fresh cases were detected in 24 hours. Nine people have died in the national capital in the same period. On Wednesday, the city witnessed its biggest-ever single-day spike in nearly eight months as 10,665 cases were reported in 24 hours.
Delhi's positivity rate - the number of people testing positive for every 100 tests - has jumped to 17.73 per cent with the latest addition in cases. 97,762 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours.
Amid the recent spurt, Karnataka today made vaccine certificates mandatory for entry into public places such as malls, markets, and restaurants.
Goa on Friday reported 1,432 COVID-19 cases, with the positivity rate (cases per 100 tests) reaching 21.72%, up from 20.46% a day earlier, a health department official said.
The tally in the coastal state touched 1,86,198, while two deaths during the day took the death count to 3,530, he said.
Karnataka today reported 8,449 fresh cases of coronavirus in 24 hours - 68 per cent more cases than yesterday (5,031 cases). State capital Bengaluru alone accounted for 6,812 of the cases. On Wednesday, the state's cases doubled to 4,246 infections in 24 hours.
The case positivity rate now stands at 4.15 per cent.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the third wave of the pandemic along with Omicron variant of COVID-19 has hit the state from January 1 and now the government will treat all coronavirus cases as patients of the highly infectious new variant.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Mr Sarma said the doubling rate of cases is two days and on some occasions, it's even a single day.
With a surge in coronavirus cases in Delhi and its neighbouring cities, migrant workers and daily wagers fear another round of lockdown could push them into a severe financial crisis from which they might never recover.
All international passengers will now have to home quarantine for a week on arrival in India, the Centre said today as it revised travel guidelines amid a surge in cases believed to be fuelled by Omicron.
Twenty deaths due to the coronavirus infection have been reported in Delhi in the first six days of January, according to official figures.
Eight of these deaths were registered on January 5, amid a massive surge in Covid cases, largely driven by the Omicron variant.
Medical admissions will resume after a four-month delay with the Supreme Court clearing 27 per cent reservation for OBC and 10 per cent for EWS students for this year. The Rs 8 lakh income criterium for the latter group has been similarly cleared.
Over 90% of the eligible population in India has received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.
Over 1.5 crore children aged between 15-17 have been given a dose, the PM said.
Ladakh recorded 21 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 22,370, officials said on Friday.
The number of active cases in the union territory has gone up to 269 -- 232 in Leh and 37 in Kargil districts.
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 is killing people across the globe and should not be dismissed as mild, the World Health Organization insisted Thursday.
