India reported 6,563 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today, taking the total cases in the country since the beginning of the pandemic to 3,47,46,838. India's active caseload currently stands at 82,267, the lowest in 571 days.
The country also reported 132 new Covid-related deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total death count to 4,77,554.
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.
Amid rising concerns surrounding the Omicron variant, India's total Omicron tally has crossed 150 cases.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases in India:
Delhi Covid Cases: Amid Omicron Worry, See These Worrying Pics Of Delhi ShoppersDelhi's malls and markets were buzzing today with shoppers, a day after the national capital reported 107 Covid cases, its highest daily rise in six months.
For the fourth time in December, Mumbai did not report any fresh fatality due to coronavirus on Monday, keeping the death toll unchanged at 16,365, while 204 new cases took the infection count to 7,67,331, civic officials said.
A day after Mumbai logged 336 COVID-19 cases, the number of daily cases came down to 204, while the daily fatalities slipped to zero in the last 24 hours from two on Sunday.
Authorities at two genome sequencing laboratories in Delhi on Monday said they have the capacity to handle a higher number of samples for detection of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Amid the Omicron scare and the growing number of coronavirus cases in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said all samples that test Covid positive will be sent for genome sequencing.
Omicron vs Delta: New Study Answers Questions On New Covid VariantHow lethal is Omicron? Does it cause a severe disease? Will a third dose of vaccine give better immunity? Scientists are racing to find the answers to these questions as Omicron cases soar across Europe and threaten year-end festivities.
The COVID-19 vaccines can be "tweaked" to provide protection against new variants of the virus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, Director Dr Randeep Guleria has said.
His remarks have come in the wake of concerns over the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Europe Weighs Christmas Curbs As Omicron Sweeps ContinentBritain refused to rule out curbs on gatherings on Monday, a day after the Netherlands imposed a fourth lockdown prompted by the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
New Zealand authorities on Monday said they had linked a 26-year-old man's death to Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine after the person suffered myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart muscle, after taking his first dose.
The death is New Zealand's second linked to a known but rare side effect from the vaccine after health authorities in August reported a woman had died after taking her doses.
"With the current available information, the board has considered that the myocarditis was probably due to vaccination in this individual," a COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board said in a statement.
The man, who died within two weeks of his first dose, had not sought medical advice or treatment for his symptoms. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that can limit the organ's ability to pump blood and can cause changes in heartbeat rhythms.
There is "no evidence" that Omicron has a lower severity than the Delta strain, according to a study in the UK which also found that the new variant of coronavirus largely evades immunity from past infection or two vaccine doses. The study by researchers from Imperial College London in the UK estimates that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant is 5.4 times greater than that of the Delta variant.
Two more cases of Omicron variant of Covid have been detected in Delhi, taking the total number of people testing positive for the latest variant of the coronavirus here to 24, PTI reported quoting sources. Out of these 24 patients, 12 have been discharged, they said.
Delhi Prepared For Omicron, Centre Should Start Boosters: Arvind KejriwalThe Delhi government is prepared to deal with the Omicron variant of coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today, as he urged people not to panic amid its spread in the city. The national capital has reported 24 cases of Omicron so far. Out of these 24 patients, 12 have been discharged, according to the government.
India's Omicron caseload has surpassed 150, with Maharashtra logging the highest number of Omicron cases of any state.
India reported 6,563 fresh COVID-19 cases and 132 related in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today, taking the total cases in the country since the beginning of the pandemic to 3,47,46,838.
COVID19 | Mizoram reports 33 new cases, active caseload reaches 2,598; Positivity rate stands at 11.22% pic.twitter.com/MW0wFygIi1
- ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2021
Five fresh Omicron cases have been reported in Karnataka, taking the total cases in the state to 19. Active cases stand at 16, as three who tested positive for the coronavirus have recovered.
Ladakh reports 28 new COVID cases and 21 recoveries, taking active cases to 188 -- 158 cases in Leh & 30 cases in Kargil: UT Administration
- ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2021
Coronavirus News Updates: Israel Set To Ban Travel To US As Covid Curbs WidenIsrael's health ministry Sunday recommended banning Israelis from travelling to the United States, and added several European countries to its Covid "red list", aimed at containing the Omicron variant's spread.
Over 90% Fully Jabbed: "Well Prepared" Australia's Hope Even As Covid Surges
Coronavirus: Andaman And Nicobar Islands Achieve 100 Per Cent Vaccination Coverage
Top US Scientist Anthony Fauci Warns Of Bleak Winter With Omicron "Raging Through The World"
