Coronavirus updates Highlights: Tamil Nadu steps up vigil, screens 37 international passengers for Covid

Coronavirus news updates Highlights, December 24, 2022: India has stepped up surveillance and asked its states to be alert in view of rising cases in China. Citizens have been urged to maintain Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially as the year-ending festive season approaches.

India has issued an advisory to check spread of Covid-19, which includes random sampling of 2 per cent of foreign passengers, a rule that comes into effect on Saturday, December 24, 2022. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Amid concerns over a fresh outbreak of Covid-19 in neighbouring China and several other countries, India has strengthened its surveillance to keep any spike in infections at bay. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya - both of whom held separate review meetings this week - have reiterated that the pandemic is not yet over and urged citizens to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, including wearing masks and getting vaccinated, especially as the Christmas and New Year festive season knocks on the door....Read More

Follow all the updates here:

• 24 Dec 2022, 08:31:31 PM IST

  Fully prepared to deal with any eventuality, say Delhi hospitals amid coronavirus scare

  Many hospitals in Delhi have instructed their heads of department to strictly follow Covid guidelines, including wearing masks and using sanitisers, amid concerns over surge in coronavirus cases in some countries

  The hospital said they have braced themselves for any eventuality, PTI reported.

• 24 Dec 2022, 08:29:50 PM IST

  Covid concerns: Wear masks, Tuljapur temple authorities urge staff, devotees

  The Osmanabad district administration has appealed to devotees and staff at the renowned Tuljapur Temple in Maharashtra to wear masks on the premises amid a scare from the BF.7 sub variant of Omicron and chances of a spike in Covid-19 cases, an official said on Saturday.

• 24 Dec 2022, 08:24:08 PM IST

  Union health secy asks states, UTs to conduct mock drills on Dec 27

  Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to state and union territorial health secretaries on Saturday about holding mock drills on December 27 at all health institutions (including recognised Covid-dedicated health facilities) across the country, news agency ANI reported.

• 24 Dec 2022, 08:21:48 PM IST

  Covid-19 vaccination drive gets on fast track in Surat

  In view of the recent upsurge in cases of Covid 19 in some countries, the vaccination drive in Surat has got a fast track, said Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Saturday.

• 24 Dec 2022, 05:35:08 PM IST

  Tamil Nadu steps up vigil, screens 37 international passengers for Covid

  The Tamil Nadu government stepped up vigil amidst a sudden surge in Coronavirus cases in some parts of the world and on Saturday 37 passengers who arrived at the international airport here were screened for Covid 19.

• 24 Dec 2022, 05:33:05 PM IST

  Hong Kong announces planned border re-opening with China as Omicron surges at Christmas

  China, grappling with a new wave of COVID-19 infections, took another step towards loosening its pandemic-related restrictions on Saturday when Hong Kong's leader announced it would aim to re-open its borders with the mainland by mid-January.

• 24 Dec 2022, 04:48:19 PM IST

  Indians have hybrid immunity against BF.7, travel ban not effective: Dr Guleria

  Unlike China, India is safe from another wave of the Covid pandemic because of the hybrid immunity of the population, former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said amid apprehension triggered by China's unprecedented surge. Read more

• 24 Dec 2022, 03:32:12 PM IST

  Covid-19: Karnataka CM says no need to panic, but follow safety norms

  Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday appealed to the people not to panic but exercise caution, amid rise in Covid-19 cases in certain countries and said his government has taken adequate measures to manage the situation. Speaking to reporters here, Bommai said, “We will continuously monitor the situation, but there is no need to panic. Only thing is that people should be cautious. The government, people, organisations and the society have to face COVID together.”

• 24 Dec 2022, 03:06:42 PM IST

  Maharashtra: Amid Covid spike, Thane starts RTPCR and antigen tests in Jambli Naka market

  

  Thane Municipal corporation has started Antigen Covid-19 test in Thane Jambli Naka market.

  Again in view of the crisis of Covid-19, Thane Municipal corporation has started Antigen Covid-19 test in Thane Jambli Naka market.

• 24 Dec 2022, 02:50:41 PM IST

  Nearly 250 million Covid-19 infections in China: Report

  Almost 250 million people in China may have been affected by Covid-19 in just 20 days after the 'zero-covid policy' was diluted in the first week of the month, according to radio Free Asia citing leaked government documents circulating on social media, ANI reported.

• 24 Dec 2022, 02:43:39 PM IST

  Tamil Nadu health minister inspects Covid-19 testing booth outside Chennai International airport

  Tamil Nadu health minister Ma. Subramanian inspects Covid-19 testing booth established outside the Chennai International airport.

• 24 Dec 2022, 02:23:16 PM IST

  Nearly 250 mn in China may have been affected by Covid in 20 days: Leaked documents

  Almost 250 million people in China may have been affected by Covid-19 in only 20 days following the lifting of the country's stringent ‘zero-Covid policy’ in the first week of the month, ANI reported citing radio Free Asia that claimed leaked government documents circulating on social media said so.

• 24 Dec 2022, 01:11:02 PM IST

  Ensure medical oxygen supply: Centre to states amid Covid preps

  The Union health ministry has written to all states and Union territories to ensure a “functional and regular supply of medical oxygen for Covid-19 pandemic management”.

• 24 Dec 2022, 12:01:08 PM IST

  Centre announces mandatory Covid test for foreign arrivals from China and 4 other nations

  Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Saturday that RT-PCR test to determine presence of Covid-19 in an individual will be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for the virus, then he or she will be put under quarantine. Read more.

• 24 Dec 2022, 10:39:34 AM IST

  India sees spike in daily case count with 201 Covid cases

  India on Saturday saw a jump in daily caseload after 201 people were infected with the virus, Union health ministry's 8am bulletin update said. The active caseload of the country currently stands at 3,397, accounting for 0.01 per cent of the total tally.

• 24 Dec 2022, 09:48:17 AM IST

  Chinese city reporting half a million Covid cases every day: Report

  China's eastern city Qingdao, which houses nearly 10 million people, is reportedly witnessing half a million infections every day, a state-run news outlet said on Friday, according to Bloomberg. Senior health official Bo Tao reportedly said that the coastal city was seeing “between 490,000 and 530,000” fresh Covid-19 cases daily.

• 24 Dec 2022, 08:54:51 AM IST

  Centre junks news of mandatory Covid -ve test for foreign passengers

  The Union health ministry on Saturday said on Twitter that a news circulating on social media platforms about India planning to make mandatory Covid-19 test report for passengers coming from high caseload countries is “fake and misleading”.

• 24 Dec 2022, 08:50:11 AM IST

  China reports zero Covid deaths for second straight day for Dec 23

  Amid a deadly and fresh outbreak of Covid-19, China reported zero deaths due to the virus for December 23, National Health Commission said on Saturday. This is the same number as the previous day. The country logged as many as 4,128 new symptomatic Covid-19 infections for December 23, up from 3,761 a day earlier.