India reported 6,317 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. With this, the country's caseload reached 3,47,58,481. India's active caseload currently stands at 78,190, the lowest in 573 days.
The country also reported 318 new Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total death count to 4,78,325. The number of fatalities today is significantly up from yesterday's spike of 132 deaths.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the active cases in the country account for less than one per cent of total cases, currently at 0.24 per cent which is the lowest since March last year.
The number of cases of Covid's fast-spreading strain Omicron has crossed the 200-mark in India, the Union Health Ministry said today, with Omicron cases in India currently standing at 213.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
100% of Gurugram's population inoculated with both doses of #COVID19 vaccine. However, amid Omicron threat, vaccinations across India dip by 22%.
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 22, 2021
NDTV's Shonakshi Chakravarty reports pic.twitter.com/VmJuO4BG7T
Mumbai on Wednesday reported 490 new Covid cases on a day when Maharashtra recorded the highest single-day spike in 48 days with 1,201 fresh Covid cases. Read more
Akhilesh Yadav's Wife Dimple Yadav Tests Positive, Is Fully Vaccinated
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 22, 2021
Read more: https://t.co/x3BKppgHBt pic.twitter.com/O5Lh9alcTT
AstraZeneca #Covid Vaccine Protection Wanes After 3 Months: Lancet Study
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 22, 2021
Read more: https://t.co/tM3SDjRX1W pic.twitter.com/wNJA0gZk1B
With the Omicron variant spreading rapidly in Britain and record levels of cases over the past week many industries are struggling with staff shortages, including hospitals who have warned of the risk of an impact on patient safety.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said its analysis suggested a seven-day isolation period alongside two negative lateral flow test results had nearly the same protective effect as a 10-day isolation period without testing.
"We want to reduce the disruption from COVID-19 to people's everyday lives," health secretary Sajid Javid said in a statement.
Should India Give Booster Shots? What Top Doctors Say pic.twitter.com/600BWLBdt4
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 22, 2021
The letter from the health ministry called for "greater foresight, data analysis, dynamic decision making and strict and prompt containment action", as it directed the states/union territories to be "prompt and focused and take containment measures and restrictions even before these thresholds are reached".
The first case of local transmission of Omicron was reported in Telangana along with three other cases of people who had come in from not-at-risk countries, taking the Omicron numbers in the state to 24.
The World Health Organization's European head on Tuesday warned countries to brace for a "significant surge" in COVID-19 cases as Omicron spreads, and advised the widespread use of boosters for protection.
The number of cases of Covid's fast-spreading strain Omicron has crossed the 200-mark in India, the Union Health Ministry said today.