India logged a daily spike of 9,216 Covid cases today, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,46,15,757. The active cases increased to 99,976, the Health Ministry data showed.
India also for the first time reported 'Omicron' cases with two cases being detected in Karnataka. The new strain of the virus has triggered a global alarm with several countries announcing restrictions to arrest the spread of the 'Variant of Concern', declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The variant was first detected in South Africa earlier this month. Since then, the new strain has already been detected in several European countries. 'Omicron' is said to be much more infectious than the Delta variant.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases:
Omicron Variant May Have Picked Up Piece Of Common-Cold VirusThe Omicron variant likely acquired at least one of its mutations by picking up a snippet of genetic material from another virus - possibly one that causes the common cold - present in the same infected cells, according to researchers.
IMF Chief Warns Omicron Covid Variant Could Slow Global Economy RecoveryThe new Omicron variant of Covid-19 could slow the global economic recovery, just as the Delta strain did, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Friday.
Coronavirus: Parliamentary Panel Recommends Evaluation Of Vaccines In View Of Omicron Covid VariantAmid growing concerns over the new Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, a parliamentary committee has recommended that the efficacy of Covid vaccines must be evaluated and concerns with regards to the new strain.
Coronavirus News Updates: South Africa's Covid Cases Cross 3 Million Amid Omicron SurgeSouth Africa's Covid-19 infections surged to a record three million on Friday as a new wave driven by the Omicron variant rips through parts of the country, official figures showed.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said the swab samples of 28 persons, who returned to the state from high-risk countries last month with nine of them already testing COVID-19 positive, have been sent for genome sequencing amid concerns over the new Omicron variant of the virus.
Mr Tope gave the information while talking to reporters in his home district Jalna.
"The international travellers who arrived in Mumbai from the high-risk countries have been identified and the swab samples of 28 such persons have been sent for genome sequencing. Out of them, nine persons have already tested COVID-19 positive. However, we are yet to establish whether they are carrying the new Omicron variant," he said.
The government on Friday said that after putting on hold Covid vaccine export to cater to domestic demand, India now has supplied jabs in the last few weeks to several countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Iran, Paraguay and Indonesia.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that since the start of the Vaccine Maitri Programme in January, India has supplied 723.435 lakh doses to 94 countries and two UN entities in the form of grant, commercial export or through COVAX.
Tamil Nadu on Friday logged 711 new Covid-19 cases, including returnees from domestic and overseas, pushing the tally to 27,29,061, while the death toll rose to 36,513 with 9 more deaths, the health department said.
Recoveries outnumbered new infections with 759 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 26,84,450 leaving 8,098 active infections, a medical bulletin said.
While there is no evidence to suggest that existing vaccines do not work on the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, some of the mutations reported may decrease the efficacy of the jabs, the Union Health Ministry said.
It, however, underscored that definitive evidence for the new variant's increased remission and immune evasion is awaited.
The ministry has issued a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Omicron variant of coronavirus which has been designated by WHO as a ''variant of concern''.
Two cases of the new variant were reported in Karnataka yesterday.
The Central Drugs Standard Organisation (CDSO) has approved the shelf life of COVID-19 vaccines Covaxin to 12 months, Covishield to nine months, and ZyCoV-D to six months from the date of manufacture, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
Regarding administration of booster doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidences related to this aspect.
Following the detection of two cases of Covid's Omicron variant in Karnataka, there is concern over what the state government can and should do next.
Among the two cases, one is a traveller from abroad and the other a Bengaluru-based doctor with no history of international travel.
Dr Vishal Rao, member of the Genomic Surveillance Committee of the Covid Task Force told NDTV that stricter restrictions may now be inevitable.
The government had sought data from states and Union Territories on deaths of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage during the second wave and only Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh responded, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
Punjab has sent an email, saying that four deaths suspected to be due to lack of oxygen have been reported in a private hospital in Amritsar district, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a written reply.
Twelve suspected cases of Omicron have been admitted to hospitals in Delhi after they arrived on international flights over the past three days. Their samples have been sent for genome testing to confirm whether they are infected with the Omicron strain.
All are at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital in Delhi. Eight were hospitalised yesterday after they tested positive for Covid. Four more were admitted today but their Covid tests are not out yet.
The World Health Organization said Friday it had not seen any reports of deaths relating to the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The WHO said it was collecting evidence about the variant of concern (VOC), as countries around the world scramble to stop it from spreading.
But despite a growing number of countries registering infections with the new variant, no deaths have yet been reported to the UN health agency.
One of the two persons found positive for Omicron in Karnataka "escaped" after taking a Covid negative certificate from a private lab, the state government said today. The state is also trying to track down 10 people who reportedly went missing from the airport.
"By tonight all 10 people who have reportedly gone missing should be traced and they should be tested. Travelers will not be allowed to leave the airport until their report is out," Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashok said after a top level meeting on Omicron.
People won't be allowed inside malls and theatres in Karnataka unless they are fully vaccinated. Karnataka today issued a fresh set of guidelines to combat the spread of Omicron in the state a day after the Centre confirmed the detection of India's first cases of the new variant from the state. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired a high-level meeting today with officials over the new variant that has triggered a global alarm.
#IndiaFightsCorona:
- #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) December 3, 2021
📍India registered more than 8 Thousand (8,612) #COVID19 recoveries in the last 24 hours.
➡️Together, we can win the battle against COVID-19.
➡#StaySafe and follow #COVIDAppropriateBehaviour #Unite2FightCorona@MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/aAV2dT0gX0
Amid concern over 2 cases of Omicron detected in Karnataka, NDTV spoke to Dr Vishal Rao, member of the Genomic Surveillance Committee of the state Covid Task Force, on how the Bengaluru doctor may have been infected and the way ahead
Coronavirus- Omicron Scare: Spike In Children Being Hospitalised In South AfricaDoctors in South Africa said Friday there had been a spike in hospitalisations among young children after Omicron swept through the country but stressed it was early to know if they were particularly susceptible.
3.46 cr Corona cases have been reported in India and 4.6 Lakh people died - this is 1.36% of total cases. 25,000 cases and 340 deaths per million population reported in India - this is one of the lowest in the world: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/q7hWapZXla
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2021
Omicron India Cases: For Omicron, Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate: Health MinistryThe government has urged people to 'vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate' in response to widespread and growing concern after India reported its first cases - two samples from Karnataka - of the Omicron Covid strain.
Genome sequencing of the samples of twelve Covid patients, admitted in Delhi's Lok Nayak Hospital, is being tested to check if they have been infected with the Omicron variant.
South Africa is being hit by a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections driven by the Omicron variant which has been detected in seven of the country's nine provinces, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said on Friday.
Some Covid-19 Clusters Found, Need Active Checks, Testing: Centre To StatesIn a worrying sign amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Ministry has said clusters of infections have been reported from some places across the country.
At least 315 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, raising the tally to 1,35,765, while the death count mounted to 503 with two fresh fatalities, a health department official said on Friday.
Thirty-three students were among the newly infected people, he said.
COVID-19 hit the ongoing FIH Junior Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar after an incident-free week with one positive case on Friday, reports news agency PTI.
Despite being held inside a bio-bubble and all media persons covering the event subjected to RT-PCR tests every 48 hours, one person, who has been accessing the media centre at the K
Is It Omicron? 2 Passengers In Tamil Nadu Are Positive, Report AwaitedTwo international air travellers, including a child, from 'at risk' nations have tested positive for COVID-19 on their arrival in Tamil Nadu early this morning. The state government, however, has denied reports that they were cases of Omicron.
Two international air travellers, including a child, who had arrived in Tamil Nadu from Singapore and the United Kingdom have tested positive for COVID-19 and the government ruled out social media reports claiming they were cases of Omicron but said tests only would conclude if they are infected with the latest variant of the coronavirus.
As Karnataka reported two cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that the state government is being very cautious and it will prepare new Standard operating procedures (SoPs) to tackle the new variant.
The Karnataka CM also mentioned that he will hold a meeting with experts on Friday.
Six different COVID-19 boosters are safe and elicit strong immune response in people who have previously received a two-dose course of AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines, according to a study published in The Lancet journal.
An increase of 213 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
9 international travellers including one from South Africa who arrived at Mumbai International Airport between 10th Nov -2nd Dec have tested positive for COVID19. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation pic.twitter.com/sBHFMcv9LK
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2021
Assam reported 124 fresh COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, the state health bulletin informed on Thursday.
With this, the total cases of Coronavirus rose to 6,17,163. Of these, 1,188 are active cases in the state. A positivity rate of 0.44 per cent was observed in the state.
Karnataka has reported 363 new cases of coronavirus and 3 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 29,96,833 and the death count to 38,216, the health department said on Thursday.
The day also saw 191 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 29,51,845.
Bengaluru Omicron Patient A Doctor, 5 Contacts Test Positive For CovidFive contacts of an Omicron patient have turned out to be Covid positive, Karnataka announced today, shortly after the Union health ministry said the first patients of the new Covid variant have been found in the state.
2 Omicron Cases Found In Karnataka, Both Have Mild Symptoms: 10 PointsTwo COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Karnataka - in men aged 46 and 66 - the Health Ministry said Thursday, calling for calm amid growing concern over a strain that has triggered global alarm.
