India reported 6,987 new coronavirus infections and 162 deaths, which pushed the total active cases to 76,766 and the death count to 4,79,682, according to the health ministry. The number of cases of fast-spreading Omicron variant has risen to 422 in India, with Maharashtra reporting the most number of infections. At least 130 have recovered, the Health Ministry said this morning.
The health department has confirmed one case of Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh. Nine samples of Covid-19 positive were sent for genome sequencing to the National Centre for Disease Control in New Delhi.
Maharashtra - which also has reported the most number of coronavirus cases - has 108 cases of the new variant. The western state is followed by Delhi, which has 79 cases. Gujarat has 43 cases and Telangana 41.
In view of the fast-spreading Omicron variant, India on Saturday announced booster shots for health and frontline workers and those above 60 from January 10. In a late night address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced vaccinations for children between 15 and 18 years from January 3.
Here are the highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
The number of coronavirus cases at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district has gone up to 51, including 48 students, a health official said on Sunday.
The Delhi government has postponed a play on the life of Babasaheb Ambedkar that was to be staged from January 5 due to rising COVID-19 cases in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today.
The Karnataka government has announced a night curfew in the state for 10 days starting from December 28, between 10 pm and 5 am, Health Minister K Sudhakar said.
In view of the surging cases of Omicron across the country, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said that the state government is well-prepared to tackle a possible surge in COVID-19 cases, reported news agency ANI. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Mr Mahanta said, "We are in readiness from all corners. Our hospitals and doctors are well-prepared too. We have completed our planning." The minister further made it clear that there would be no lockdown in Assam.
Telangana reported three new cases of the new COVID variant, Omicron, in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department, reported news agency ANI. With this, the total number of Omicron cases rose to 41 in the state out of which 10 patients have recovered completely and were discharged from the state-run TIMS hospital. The tally of Omicron cases in India has surpassed the 400-mark now.