Delhi, Mumbai's R-value exceeds 2 amid Omicron spike: What it means

The R-value of Delhi stood at 2.54 between December 23-29, while for Mumbai it was 2.01 between December 23-28.

The R-value of Covid has exceeded 2 in Delhi and Mumbai in the highest surge since the beginning of the pandemic, which indicates that Covid is spreading at the fastest rate in these two cities. India's overall R-value is 1.22, the health ministry said on Thursday. Any value greater than 1 is concerning as it suggests that more people are getting infected from the existing number of infected people.

People seen at Lajpat Nagar Market as non-essential shops are permitted to open between 10am and 8pm based on an odd-even basis amid the surge in Omicron cases, in New Delhi on Thursday. (ANI)

The data study by researchers of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai revealed that Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru and Kolkata too have an R-value of over 1.

The R-value of Delhi stood at 2.54 between December 23-29, while for Mumbai it was 2.01 between December 23-28. Pune and Bengaluru recorded an R-value of 1.11. The R-value of Kolkata and Chennai was 1.13 and 1.26, respectively.

"Since mid-October, the R-value of all these cities was over 1. What is new was the sudden rise. The fact that Delhi and Mumbai crossed the R-value 2 is quite surprising,” Sitabhra Sinha, who led the study, told PTI.

Talking about R-value, Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul said, "We believe on the scientific basis R0 is 1.22 as per the available data... so the cases are now increasing, not shrinking. As the scenario emerges, we believe what we are witnessing could be part of the global rise in cases pushed by the Omicron variant... we are already aware that this variant is highly transmissible and that perhaps explains the speed with which it is rising in the world."

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said Delhi is witnessing community transmission of Omicron as people with no international travel history are contracting the variant. The same is being reported from Mumbai as, according to BMC data, as many as 141 Mumbai residents who had not travelled abroad tested positive for Omicron.