India logged a daily spike of 8,895 Covid cases on Sunday, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,46,33,255. The country also recorded 2,796 new deaths, pushing the total death count to 4,73,326.
Active cases reduced to 99,155, according to the latest Health Ministry data.
India reported 17 new cases of the new Omicron Covid strain on Sunday, taking the total tally to 21 cases of the worrisome new variant. Countries across the world have announced restrictions to arrest the spread of the virus that has been labelled a 'Variant of Concern' by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus cases:
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The incoming German government wants to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory from March 16 for people working in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical practices, according to a copy of draft legislation seen by Reuters on Sunday.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday reviewed the RT-PCR testing facilities at Delhi's IGI Airport as the tally of cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus reached 21 in the country.
Both doses of COVID-19 vaccine are mandatory for people to enter shopping complexes, malls, cinema halls and theatres in Bengaluru, said an order issued by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Sunday.
Waiting up to 8 hours in a crowded space and shelling out Rs 3,500 in case you need a rapid COVID-19 test - that's the cost many are paying for flying into Delhi from abroad under the new rules aimed at stemming the spread of Covid's Omicron variant.
The Tanzania returnee, who tested positive for COVID-19 Omicron variant, has mild symptoms as he had taken both doses of the vaccine, informed Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director of LNJP Hospital on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Kumar said: "The Tanzania returnee experienced a sore throat, weakness and body ache. His contact tracing is being done. He had taken both doses of COVID-19 vaccine due to which he had mild symptoms."
The government of Puducherry has announced that COVID-19 vaccination is compulsory in the Union Territory with immediate effect.
"We have enforced compulsory COVID19 vaccination in Puducherry UT. Out of over 10 lakh eligible population, only 7.74 lakh people are vaccinated, 2 more lakh people are to be vaccinated yet", G Sriramulu, Director Health said in an order on Saturday
Those violating the vaccination will be liable to face penal action as per provisions of the law, the Director said.
The first SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that a person encounters, be it through vaccination or infection, shapes their body's subsequent immune response against current and future variants, according to a study conducted in the UK.
Over 50 per cent of India's eligible adult population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 127.61 crore.
The Union Territory of Puducherry logged 29 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, raising the tally to 1,29,085, while the death count remained at 1,875 with no deaths being reported. Puducherry recorded the maximum number of cases (15), followed by Mahe (11) and Karaikal (3).
A man who arrived in Delhi from Tanzania and was admitted to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital (LNJP) was today found positive with the new Covid variant, Omicron.
India reported 2,796 Covid-related deaths today, the highest single-day rise since July 2020.
The US has made it mandatory for all incoming passengers, including those from India, to carry a negative COVID-19 test report or a proof of recovery from the contagion amidst rising number of cases of the new Omicron variant.
#𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃𝟏𝟗 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄
- Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) December 5, 2021
➡️ More than 138 Cr vaccine doses provided to States/UTs.
➡️ More than 21.13 Cr doses still available with States/UTs to be administered.https://t.co/q7lkazGTWY pic.twitter.com/zgezCXF6Ot
The findings of a new study suggest that when animals catch COVID-19 from humans, new SARS-CoV-2 variants can arise. Read here.
In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance. Read here.