Omicron: India’s tally 213, Delhi reports most cases

Delhi authorities sound alarm; no New Year’s, Christmas in capital

New Delhi: India has recorded 213 cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus across 15 states and UTs so far out of which 90 people have recovered or migrated, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

Delhi has recorded the maximum 57 cases of the Omicron variant followed by Maharashtra at 54, Telangana 24, Karnataka 19, Rajasthan 18, Kerala 15 and Gujarat 14. The ministry data updated at 8 am also stated that India has logged 6,317 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,47,58,481, while the active cases declined to 78,190, the lowest in 575 days.

The death toll has climbed to 4,78,325 with 318 fresh fatalities, the data stated. The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been recorded below 15,000 for the last 55 days now.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday directed district magistrates to ensure no Christmas and New Year gathering takes place in the national capital. However, restaurants and bars will continue to operate with up to 50 per cent of the seating capacity. Marriage-related gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 200 people in attendance.

In Uttar Pradesh, the government on Tuesday imposed a fresh ban. The Lucknow Commissioner of Police DK Thakur said police officials have been directed to strictly follow the protocols and penalise the violators.

The active cases comprise 0.22 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 98.40 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.

A decline of 907 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.51 per cent. It has been less than two per cent for the last 79 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.58 per cent. It has been below one per cent for the last 38 days, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,42,01,966, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.38 per cent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 138.96 crore.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23. —(PTI)