The Health Ministry on January 5 confirmed India’s first death linked to the highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus Omicron in the country.
Joint secretary, Health Ministry, Lav Aggarwal said on January 5 that one death of an elderly with comorbidities, including diabetes, has been reported from Rajasthan and that this is “technically” Omicron-related death.
India reports its first death due to Omicron in Rajasthan
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the updates:
Himachal Pradesh imposes night curfew
The Himachal Pradesh Government on Wednesday decided to impose a night curfew in the state from 10.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. to check the spread of COVID-19, an official spokesperson said.
It was also decided to close indoor sports complexes and cinema halls in the State and allow only 50% attendance at gatherings in marriage and banquet halls, he said.
The State It recorded 260 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, 137 on Monday and 76 on Sunday, according to official figures.
Himachal Pradesh imposes night curfew amid rising Covid cases
India reports its first death due to Omicron in Rajasthan
The Health Ministry on January 5 confirmed India’s first death linked to the highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus Omicron in the country.
Joint secretary, Health Ministry, Lav Aggarwal said on January 5 that one death of an elderly with comorbidities, including diabetes, has been reported from Rajasthan and that this is “technically” Omicron-related death.
COVID-19 | India reports its first death due to Omicron in Rajasthan
Night curfew in Tamil Nadu from Jan 6, complete lockdown on Jan 9
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday announced that a night curfew would be imposed across the State between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. from January 6. Essential services would be exempted during this period. He also announced that a complete lockdown would be imposed across the State on Sunday, January 9.
In all schools, no direct classes would be allowed for students in classes 1 to 9. Creches, playschools and kindergarten classes would not be allowed to function. Physical classes for students in Classes 10, 11 and 12 would be allowed so that these students can appear for public exams and for them to take the COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19: Night curfew in Tamil Nadu from Jan 6, complete lockdown on Jan 9
India records sharp rise in case positivity
Surge in COVID-19 cases noted globally; 25.2 lakh cases recorded globally on Jan 4, highest ever since onset of pandemic, Health Ministry says.
India reported over 6.3 times rise in cases in last 8 days; sharp rise in case positivity from 0.79% on Dec 29 to 5.03% on Jan 5.
28 districts reporting over 10% weekly Covid positivity; 43 districts reporting weekly positivity between 5-10%.
1.06 crore (14.3%) of India's adolescents aged 15-18 have been administered 1st dose of Covid vaccine.
Maha, WB, Delhi, Kerala, TN, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Gujarat emerging states of concern due to surge in COVID-19 cases. - PTI
66 COVID-19 positive passengers on cruise ship sent for hotel quarantine in Mumbai
All 66 COVID-19 positive passengers on the Cordelia cruise ship had been evacuated and taken for quarantine in Mumbai hotels, said authorities on Wednesday.
While they were offered to be taken to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s COVID-19 facility in Byculla, all of them opted for hotel quarantine and are lodged in hotels at their own expense.
The passengers who had tested negative in Goa are onboard the ship as their RT-PCR reports are awaited. Those testing negative will be sent in home quarantine.
66 COVID-19 positive passengers on cruise ship sent for hotel quarantine in Mumbai
Over 50 COVID-19 cases found in IIT-Guwahati, restrictions imposed
Over 50 people, including students and a faculty member, have tested positive for COVID-19 in IIT-Guwahati over the last six days, forcing the authorities to impose restrictions on the campus, an official said on Wednesday.
Almost 99% of the cases were people who returned to the campus from outside Assam after holidays, said Parmeshwar Iyer, Dean-PR, IIT-Guwahati.
"More than 50 cases of COVID-19 have been detected on the campus since December 31. Among them are a faculty member and five members of his family, and another staff member. The rest are students," he told PTI. -PTI
Odisha records 78.82% spike in 24 hours
Odisha on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, reported 1,216 new COVID-19 cases registering 78.82% rise in 24 hours.
On Tuesday, 680 cases were reported from the State. Khordha district remained the epicentre as 456 persons were found to be infected comprising 37.5% of State’s caseload. Sundargarh followed Khordha with 166 cases.
COVID-19: As daily cases breach 1,000-mark, Odisha records 78.82% spike in 24 hours
Third Covid wave has hit Delhi, 10,000 cases expected to be recorded today: Satyendar Jain
The third wave of COVID-19 pandemic has hit Delhi and the city is expected to record 10,000 new cases on January 5 with a positivity rate of 10%, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
The Minister also said only 300-400 samples are being sent for genome sequencing now as sequencing of all samples is not possible.
“Delhi is expected to record around 10,000 new cases with a positivity rate of around 10%... The third wave has started in the city,” Mr. Jain said. — PTI
Third Covid wave has hit Delhi, 10,000 cases expected on Jan 5: Satyendar Jain
Two Deputy CMs, 3 Ministers test positive
Ahead of the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday, two Deputy chief ministers and three ministers of Bihar have been found infected with COVID-19.
Earlier, in view of the surge in Covid-19 patients, the state government on Tuesday had declared to impose night curfew in the state from 10 pm to 5 am from January 6 to 21. All shopping malls, cinema halls, parks, gymnasiums and schools upto std VIII too will be closed during this period, said the government.
Altogether six visitors at chief minister Nitish Kumar’s weekly janata durbar (people’s court) programme on Monday (January 3) were found Covid-19 infected while, some catering staffs at the CM’s official residence 1, Anne Marg too have been tested positive. —Amarnath Tewary
COVID-19: Two Deputy CMs, three Ministers of Bihar found infected
Sonu Nigam and family test positive
Singer Sonu Nigam says he, along with his wife Madhurima and son Nevaan, has tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently under home quarantine in Dubai.
The 48-year-old singer shared his diagnosis in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday night, adding he is doing well and is asymptomatic.
Mr. Nigam said he was scheduled to travel to India for a show, the plans for which fell apart as he repeatedly tested positive for the virus.
"I am COVID positive right now. I am in Dubai, I had to come to India to perform in Bhubaneswar and to shoot for 'Super Singer' season 3, which is when I got tested and the result came positive. I got myself retested again and again, but still turned out positive. I feel we will have to live with it.
"Many times, I have performed at concerts while being down with viral fever, having a bad throat or congestion. This feels a lot better than that, I am positive, but I am not dying. Even my throat is fine," he said.
The singer said in the video that his sister-in-law has also tested positive and revealed that more people in the film industry have contracted COVID-19, including music composer Jeet Ganguly and lyricist Raj Shekhar. — PTI
2,135 Omicron cases detected across 24 States/UTs: Health ministry
A total of 2,135 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 24 States and UTs so far, out of which 828 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of 653 cases followed by Delhi at 464, Kerala 185, Rajasthan 174, Gujarat 154 and Tamil Nadu 121 cases.
India saw a single-day rise of 58,097 new coronavirus infections, the highest in around 199 days, taking the country's total tally of cases to 3,50,18,358, while the active cases were recorded above 2 lakh after around 81 days, according to the data updated at 8 am. The death toll has climbed to 4,82,551 with 534 daily fatalities, the data stated.
The active cases have increased to 2,14,004, comprising 0.61%of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.01%, the Health Ministry said.
A total of 58,419 new infections were reported on June 20 this year. -PTI
Soaring Omicron could lead to more dangerous variants, WHO warns
Soaring Omicron cases around the globe could increase the risk of a newer, more dangerous variant emerging, the World Health Organisation in Europe warned on Tuesday.
While the variant is spreading like wildfire around the world, it appears to be far less severe than initially feared and has raised hopes that the pandemic could be overcome and life return to more normality.
Soaring Omicron could lead to more dangerous variants, WHO warns
New Covid records in U.S., U.K., France as Omicron runs rampant
The U.S., Britain, France and Australia have all announced record numbers of daily COVID-19 cases as the WHO warned Tuesday that Omicron's dizzying spread increased the risk of newer, more dangerous variants emerging.
Britain breached 200,000 cases for the first time on Tuesday, Australia posted almost 50,000 and France registered more than 270,000, all three countries easily topping their previous records. -AFP
U.S. sets global record with over 1 million COVID cases in a day
The United States reported more than one million new COVID-19 cases on Monday after the long New Year’s weekend, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, as the Omicron variant spread at a blistering pace.
There were 1,080,211 new cases in the country, a global record, although the number of cases reported on a Monday is usually higher than other days because of delays in weekend tallying, especially after such a three-day holiday weekend. Still, the figure is double the number of daily cases compared to the previous Monday.
U.S. sets global record with over 1 million COVID cases in a day
Revised norms for COVID-19 positive international travellers
If the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee’s (TAC) recommendations are implemented by the Government, institutional isolation and hospitalisation of all asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic international travellers, testing positive on arrival, will be reduced to five days from the existing 10.
Taking note of the simmering discontent over mandatory hospitalisation of even asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic international travellers, the TAC that held its 145th meeting on Monday night, recommended that such patients should be put up in COVID Care Centres (CCCs).
Revised norms for COVID-19 positive international travellers
Biden urges concern but not alarm in U.S. as omicron rises
President Joe Biden urged concern but not alarm Tuesday as the United States set records for daily reported COVID-19 cases and his administration struggled to ease concerns about testing shortages, school closures and other disruptions caused by the omicron variant.
In remarks before a meeting with his COVID-19 response team at the White House, Biden aimed to convey his administration's urgency in addressing omicron and convince wary Americans that the current situation bears little resemblance to the onset of the pandemic or last year's deadly winter. The president emphasized that vaccines, booster shots and therapeutic drugs have lessened the danger for the overwhelming majority of Americans who are fully vaccinated. -AP
Pfizer to supply 10 million additional courses of COVID-19 pill to U.S. govt
Pfizer Inc said on Tuesday the U.S. government has agreed to buy additional 10 million courses of its COVID-19 oral therapy, bringing the total amount of order by the government to 20 million courses.
The details of the expanded deal were not disclosed by the company. But for the first order of 10 million courses by the government in November, it had said it would pay Pfizer $5.29 billion. -Reuters
Keep hospital beds, ICUs ready within 10 days, says Naveen Patnaik
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday gave 10 days to both private and government hospitals to keep beds and intensive care units ready at par with the health infrastructure created during the peak of the second COVID wave in the State.
Mr. Patnaik held a high-level meeting on COVID-19 preparedness on a day when the State registered a 60% spike in cases. As many as 680 people tested positive in the past 24 hours as compared to 424 pople in the previous corresponding period.
Keep hospital beds, ICUs ready within 10 days, says Naveen Patnaik
Rising sales of COVID home test kits worry officials in Bengaluru
The rampant sale of self-test kits amid rising COVID-19 cases is causing alarm among health officials as they are unable to track, isolate and treat those testing positive.
Officials in Karnataka said people who have mild flu-like symptoms or those who travel frequently are relying on this method, essentially rapid antigen test kits.
Rising sales of COVID home test kits worry officials in Bengaluru
Surge in number of cases indicative of third COVID wave in India: Expert
Noting that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus accounts for more than 50% of cases in major Indian cities, Dr. N.K. Arora, chairperson of the COVID working group NTAGI, says the massive surge in numbers indicates a third wave, but there is no need to panic.
The head of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), who said Omicron is being detected in most states in India, also analysed the COVID graph in South Africa, where Omicron originated, and spoke of the “epidemiological similarities” between the two countries.
Surge in number of cases indicative of third COVID wave in India: Expert
Rapid RT-PCR test mandatory for all international passengers landing in Mumbai
In view of spiraling COVID-19 cases, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made rapid RT-PCR test mandatory for all the international passengers landing at the Mumbai International Airport, as per revised guidelines.
The guidelines, issued last week, were effective since Monday, a BMC official said.
Passengers testing positive for coronavirus in rapid test will then have to undergo routine RT-PCR test, while the negative passengers will be allowed to leave but they will need to observe mandatory home quarantine for seven days, he said. -PTI
U.P. shuts schools, extends night curfew by two hours
In view of steady increase in COVID-19 cases, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday ordered closure of all schools up to Class 10 till January 15 and extended the night curfew by two hours.
In the districts where the number of active cases exceeds 1,000, not more than 100 people will be allowed at marriage ceremonies and other events. Public places like gyms, spas, cinema halls, banquet halls and restaurants will operate at 50% capacity.
The night curfew will be imposed from 10 pm to 6 am from Thursday, according to a statement. -PTI
Karnataka govt decides to shut schools in Bengaluru, imposes weekend curfew
The Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to impose weekend curfew and extend the night curfew for two weeks in Bengaluru in view of the alarming rise in number of COVID-19 cases.
The government also decided to shut schools and pre-university colleges except for 10th and 12th standard students for two weeks.
"We have decided that barring 10th and 12th classes, schools will be shut for rest of the classes in Bengaluru. These COVID rules will come into effect from Wednesday night," Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka told reporters. -PTI
TTFI postpones all National Championships across categories due to COVID-19 surge
The Table Tennis Federation of India on Tuesday decided to postpone events in three categories (Under-15, Under-13 and Under-11) in the ongoing National Ranking (Central Zone) Championships in the wake of a fresh COVID-19 surge in the country.
The committee also decided to postpone the Senior Nationals to be held in Shillong from January 22 to 29. The Cadet and Sub-Junior Nationals that were to begin from January 11 have also been put on hold. -PTI
COVID-19 surges in Bihar, curbs brought back
Patna district on Tuesday exploded with 565 fresh Covid-19 cases, a three-fold increase in 24 hours while Bihar's single day infections tally shot up two-and-a-half times to 893, forcing the Nitish Kumar government to order night curfew and other restrictions which will come into effect from Thursday.
According to a notification issued by the State's home ministry, the curfew hours will be from 10 PM to 5 AM and, along with other curbs, shall remain in force till January 21.
Schools shall remain closed for up to Class VIII though online teaching will be allowed and offices, government as well as private, shall be permitted to function with not more than 50% attendance. -PTI
Delhi announces weekend curfew as COVID-19 cases cross 5,000 mark; positivity rate rises to 8.37%
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced a weekend curfew and work from home for its offices as the city recorded 5,481 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest number since May 16, with a positivity rate of 8.37% and three fatalities.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain, however, asserted that no lockdown was being imposed in the national capital. -PTI
NRAI postpones selection trials owing to surge in COVID-19 cases
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Tuesday decided to postpone the upcoming selection trials for rifle, pistol and shotgun events owing to a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
"Due to restrictions (weekend curfew), imposed by Government of Delhi it has been decided to postpone the selection trials (pistol) which were scheduled to be held at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges, New Delhi from 13th to 25th January 2022," the NRAI said in a statement. -PTI
COVID-19 test report not needed to treat general patients: Assam govt to hospitals
The Assam government on Tuesday ordered all hospitals in the state not to insist on a COVID-19 test report from general patients and provide immediate treatment to them to save their lives.
Health and Family Welfare Principal Secretary Anurag Goel, in a letter to all deputy commissioners, principals of medical colleges and joint directors of health services, said that COVID-19 cases have again started rising in the country as well as in Assam. -PTI
Ranji Trophy put on hold due to surge in COVID-19 cases, not to start from January 13
India's premier domestic first-class competition Ranji Trophy will not start as scheduled on January 13 due to a massive surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, a BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday.
The first round was to start in multiple cities on January 13 but has been put off and the BCCI will deliberate on when to conduct the blue riband tournament some time later.
"Yes, the Ranji Trophy has now been put on hold and will not start on January 13," a BCCI tournament committee member told PTI on conditions of anonymity. -PTI
CAB puts on hold all local tournaments till January 15
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Tuesday decided to put on hold all forms of local cricket till January 15, keeping in mind the recent surge of COVID-19.
The affected events include first division, second division, age group tournaments, women's cricket and all forms of cricket in the districts.
"The health and safety of the cricketers is the top priority and the decisions have been taken seeing the current spike in pandemic and the resultant prevalent situation," CAB secretary Snehasish Ganguly said in a statement a meeting of the office-bearers. -PTI
COVID-19: Schools in Pune district to remain shut for Classes 1 to 8 till January 30
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said the administration has decided to shut schools for Classes 1 to 8 in Pune district till January 30 due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
Speaking to reporters after attending the review meeting of the COVID-19 situation, Pawar, who is also the guardian minister of the district, said teaching in online mode will continue. -PTI
DDA suspends all physical public hearings amid rising Covid cases
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said on Tuesday that all physical public hearings at its offices have been suspended with immediate effect to contain the spread of the coronavirus infection.
"As a preventive measure to contain the spread of novel coronavirus all offline, public hearings in DDA offices are suspended with immediate effect till further notice," the urban body said in a statement. -PTI
Centre by August 24 released 50% funds earmarked for States under ECRP phase II: Health Ministry
The Health Ministry on Tuesday said it had by August 24 last year released 50% of the funds earmarked for States under 'ECRP phase II' to support them in Covid preparedness and prevention, dismissing a media report that claimed 26.14% of the funds were provided.
India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package - Phase-II is a centrally sponsored scheme to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the ongoing pandemic and strengthen the national health systems for emergency response and preparedness across the country. -PTI
