New Delhi: India reported 58,097 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, 55 per cent higher than yesterday's 37,379 cases. The government has been continuously speeding up vaccination drive across the country. Those in the age group 15-18 are being inoculated now.
The number of deaths climbed to 4,82,551 with 534 more fatalities, the data showed.
A total of 2,135 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 828 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.
Soaring Omicron cases around the world could increase the risk of a newer, more dangerous variant emerging, the World Health Organisation, or WHO, said yesterday.
While the variant is spreading like wildfire around the world, it appears to be far less severe than initially feared and has raised hopes that the pandemic could be overcome and life return to more normality, the WHO has said.
But WHO senior emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood sounded an ominous note of caution, telling news agency AFP that the soaring infection rates could have the opposite effect.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
Jan 06, 2022 00:38 (IST)
Delhi Hospital Cancels Leave, To Engage Final Year Students In Covid Care
Delhi's GTB Hospital, one of the largest Covid hospitals in the national capital, has cancelled all kinds of leaves. Final year and nursing students will be engaged in Covid care, it said. All routine surgical procedures have been stopped with immediate effect and admissions of patients have been restricted.
Jan 05, 2022 22:52 (IST)
Leave Of Health Staff Cancelled Amid Surge In Covid Cases In Jammu
Amid a sudden spike in coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta today reviewed the situation and asked the health administration to scale up testing to reach a target of two lakh tests per day, reported news agency PTI.
J&K recorded 418 cases on Wednesday - a 100 per cent jump from Tuesday. The Jammu region saw a more than three-fold increase in the number of cases on Wednesday at 311 as compared to Tuesday and Monday.
Jan 05, 2022 22:49 (IST)
Massive Covid Spurt In Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh has reported a massive surge in Covid cases in the last 24 hours with 594 cases and one related death. There are 1,544 active cases in the state currently. Indore reported a maximum 319 cases and one death in the last 24 hours. State capital Bhopal was second with 92 cases. The two cities accounted for 69.19 per cent of the fresh cases reported in the state in the last 24 hours.
Jan 05, 2022 19:51 (IST)
Stricter Covid Restrictions In Noida From Thursday As Active Case Tally Crosses 1,000
The number of active Covid cases has crossed the 1,000-mark in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar, the district administration said today as it announced tougher restrictions, reported news agency PTI.
The Uttar Pradesh government had ordered additional restrictions yesterday that are to be enforced in districts where the number of active cases crosses 1,000.
Currently Gautam Buddh Nagar, which includes Noida and Greater Noida, is the only district with over 1,000 active cases.
"There has been a rise in cases of coronavirus recently. The number of cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar has crossed 1,000 today. The restrictions mandated by the Uttar Pradesh government will be implemented here from tomorrow (Thursday)," District Magistrate Suhas L Yathiraj said.
Jan 05, 2022 18:56 (IST)
4,801 Cases In Kerala In 24 Hours
Kerala today saw a further rise in Covid cases with the state reporting 4,801 new infections, taking the overall tally to 52,54,290, reported news agency PTI.
The state logged 258 related deaths, of which, 29 were recorded over the last few days and 229 were designated as Covid deaths after receiving appeals based on Centre's new guidelines and the Supreme Court's directions.
Jan 05, 2022 18:20 (IST)
Rapid Antigen Test For Athletes On Arrival at Camps, Training Centres: Fresh SOP Amid Spike
Athletes will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) upon arrival at national camps and training centres, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) said today as it came up with a slew of measures to combat the renewed threat posed by coronavirus, reported news agency PTI.
Unlike the latest guidelines, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that SAI had issued before the Tokyo Olympics last year, required an athlete to take an RT-PCR test within 72 hours before arrival at camp with a negative report.
The SAI has issued the fresh SOPs to deal with the drastic rise in the positive cases, mostly owing to the Omicron variant, across the country.
