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Delhi, Mumbai see massive Covid surge; 'Like Tsunami,' says Tamil Nadu minister | 10 points
Mumbai municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said Mumbai will not see any further restriction even if the cases are rising as most are asymptomatic and recovering faster.
Mumbai was hit hard during both waves of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. But on Thursday, Mumbai reported the highest number of single-day infections with 20,181 cases. Delhi too saw a similar surge as the Capital's positivity rate crossed 15%. However, authorities in both Delhi and Mumbai asserted that there is no need for additional restrictions as the rate of hospitalisation remains low despite the hike in the number of cases.
Here are the top 10 developments of the Covid-19 situation and Omicron in India:
1. Delhi reported 15,097 fresh cases and Mumbai reported 20,181 new infections on Thursday. Mumbai reported 20,181 new cases, a fresh all-time single-day high. In Delhi's LNJP Hospital, around As many as 20 healthcare workers of Delhi's LNJP hospital tested positive.
2. Mumbai municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said Mumbai will not see any further restriction even if the cases are rising as most are asymptomatic and recovering faster.
Watch: Top updates of Covid-19 in India
3. The Election Commission of India and the top officials of the health ministry met on Thursday to discuss the Covid-19 situation and the impending elections in states.
Omicron may be less severe in young and old, but not 'mild': WHO
4. The Delta and Omicron variants of the coronavirus were spreading like a 'tsunami' wave in Tamil Nadu, State Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian said on Thursday as the state recorded 6,983 fresh cases
5. Odisha on Thursday reported an Omicron-related death though it has not been asserted by the authorities whether the death of a 45-year-old woman could be linked with Omicron as there are some protocols to declare a Covid death.
6. The Centre on Thursday asked States and Union Territories to set up control rooms at district and sub-district levels to ensure ease of access to services for Covid management. The Centre also wrote a letter to Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar flagging a considerable decline in COVID-19 testing amid rising cases and positivity rate and said it is a "cause of concern"
7. Union health minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday met healthcare workers admitted at AIIMS. "I personally meet doctors, healthcare workers and asked about their medical conditions," the minister said.
8. The Gujarat government has decided to postpone the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2021 in view of the Covid spread. In a press release, the government said, "Due to the spread of new variant of Coronavirus, Omicron, the Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel, has decided to postpone to Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2021, which is scheduled from January 10 to 12."
9. Karnataka on Thursday recorded 5,031 fresh cases with 4,324 cases from Bengaluru alone. The government has plans to relax Covid restrictions at places with less positivity rates and will review the current containment measures next week.
10. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot tested Covid positive on Thursday with mild symptoms. Home minister of state Nityanand Rai has also tested positive.
