E-Paper
Omicron tally past 3,000: Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka account for over 50% cases
The Omicron Covid-19 variant has now been detected in 27 states and Union territories. As many as 1,199 patients have recovered from their illness so far.
The tally of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of Covid-19 in India crossed the 3,000-mark on Friday with 3,007 cases being detected with the fast-spreading strain.
According to data from the Union ministry of health and family welfare, this is an increase of 377 cases from the 2,630 reported a day ago. The new variant has now been detected in 27 states and Union territories. As many as 1,199 patients have recovered from their illness, the data further showed.
Among the states, Maharashtra has so far logged the highest number of Omicron cases at 876 of which 79 were reported on Thursday alone. Also, 381 people have recovered in the state.
Delhi followed at a distant second with 465 cases of the variant. However, of these, only 57 people have tested negative in the national capital.
Also read | India's daily Covid tally crosses 1-lakh mark, Omicron count at 3,000
Karnataka with 333 cases, followed by Rajasthan (291 cases), Kerala (284 cases), Gujarat (204 cases), Tamil Nadu (121 cases) remained the other top contributors to the national tally. In Tamil Nadu, all the reported patients have been discharged as well.
Meanwhile, the caseload crossed the 100-mark in Haryana and Telangana in the last 24 hours with 114 and 107 infections being registered, respectively. In all other states, the caseload was found below 100, with 13 states, UTs having found less than 10 cases.
Amid the steady increase in Omicron cases, the Centre has written to nine states and UTs, urging them to increase their testing efforts towards the disease.
“With the increased detection of the Variant of Concern (VOC), Omicron, and a majority of countries seeing multiple surges in cases despite high levels of vaccination, there is a need for continued vigil and efforts to prevent any deterioration of the COVID-19 scenario,” Arti Ahuja, additional secretary in the Union health ministry, wrote to officials in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar.
She further said a “considerable decline” in Covid-19 testing was observed in these states and called it a “cause of concern”.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of increasing hospitalisations due to the variant that is overwhelming health infrastructure around the world. “While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorised as ‘mild’. Just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalising people and it is killing people,” WHO’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“In fact, the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, that it is overwhelming health systems around the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, the daily Covid-19 infections in India breached the one lakh-mark after 1,17,100 people tested positive for the disease in the last 24 hours. Also, 302 people succumbed to the illness pushing the death toll to 4,83,178.
