Breaking highlights: Gujarat reports 9 more Omicron cases, state's tally reaches 23, reports ANI

Gujarat has reported 9 more cases of Omicron, taking state's tally of infections from the new variant of Coronavirus to 23.

US health regulator authorises Pfizer's Covid-19 pill, reports AFP.

Great Britain has reported yet another record 106,122 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, AFP reported.

Telangana on Wednesday recorded as many as 14 more cases of Omicron Covid-19 variant. With this, the southern state's cumulative tally went up to 38.

Uttarakhand reports first case of Omicron variant of Covid-19 after a 23-year-old woman, who had returned from Scotland, tested positive.

Haryana brings down minimum age to consume liquor to 21 from 25, ANI reported citing the government.

Hailstorm and snowfall both happened in Shillong, while Tawang received fresh spells of snow.

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 1,201 new cases of Covid-19 today, making it the first time single-day caseload has surpassed the 1000-mark since November 17.

Haryana reported two Omicron cases on Wednesday, after a 33-year-old man with travel history to Portugal, tested positive for the new variant of Covid-19 in Karnal and another with travel history to Canada tested positive in Faridabad.

Assistant sub inspector (ASI) Mohammad Ashraf succumbed to his injuries after being shot at by terrorists in sub-district hospital, Bijbehara in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K) Anantnag district, police has tweeted now.

Kerala reports 9 more Omicron cases, state's tally now at 24, ANI reported.

Civilian shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar's Eidgah area. The deceased has been identified as Rouf Ahmad of Nawakadal. Moreover, an assistant sub inspector, identified as Mohammad Ashraf, was also shot at in sub-district hospital, Bijbehara.

The finance department of Punjab government has asked their staff to update their Covid-19 vaccination status on the Integrated Human Resource Management System (iHRMS) portal, failing to do which will result in them not getting their salaries.

Delhi reports yet another massive single-day Covid-19 caseload with 125 infections. This comes as Omicron cases in the national capital stands at 54. Read here.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has banned all gatherings ahead of Christmas and New Year in wake of rising Omicron cases in the city, ANI reported. Notably, the national capital has so far confirmed 54 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

The discussion on anti-conversion bill in Karnataka assembly will be taken up tomorrow (December 23) at 10am, ANI reported quoting Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri.

A senior officer of Mumbai Police on Wednesday said that the special enquiry team (SET) it had formed to probe the drugs-on-cruise case, is awaiting some documents and is yet to submit the enquiry report. However, the officer said the enquiry is not halted yet.

Haryana health minister Anil Vij told the state assembly on Wednesday that the state government has decided to restrict access in public places such as restaurants, offices, and public transport, among others, from January 1 onwards to people, who are not fully vaccinated with both doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

The Gamaleya Center’s preliminary laboratory study reveals that Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V demonstrates high virus neutralising activity (VNA) against Omicron variant, and is expected to give a strong defense against severe disease and hospitalisation, ANI reported.

Haryana health minister Anil Vij said that till now, no Omicron case has been detected in Haryana, and the state government is geared up to “combat the spread of Omicron variant” along with any surge in the number of Covid-19 infections, according to ANI. “ [As many as] 3,11,86,292 vaccine doses administered till December 19 in the state,” he added.

A day after the Centre wrote to all states and Union Territories to prepare for the battle against Omicron on a war footing, AIIMS Delhi director Dr Randeep Guleria said vaccine and Covid-appropriate behaviour are the only two ways to counter the increasing spread of the new variant. Read more

A 39-year-old woman who came from Kenya to Chennai, and then travelled to Tirupati, tested positive for Covid on Dec 12. Her sample sent for genome sequencing declared Omicron positive today. Her family members tested negative: State govt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a meeting to review the Covid-19 related situation in the country tomorrow, reports ANI citing sources.

At least 70 missing after landslide at Myanmar jade mine, reports news agency AFP citing rescue team. "About 70-100 people are missing in a landslide that happened around 4:00am" at Hpakant mine in Kachin state, said rescue team member Ko Ny, according to the report.

Two earthquakes of magnitude 2.9 and 3.0 were recorded in Chikkaballapura District today morning, says Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre.