Coronavirus highlights: 9 Omicron cases reported in Jaipur

Multiple states across India, including Delhi, Maharashtra and Rajasthan reported Omicron cases on Sunday, as India reported 8,895 fresh Covid-19 cases and 2,796 deaths due to Bihar reconciling 2,426 deaths. Kerala too has cleared a backlog of 263 deaths, thus the death count is high, the Health Ministry said. Stay tuned on DH for latest updates.

India detects 17 more Omicron cases; tally reaches 21

India reported 17 more cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 on Sunday - nine persons in Rajasthan capital Jaipur, seven in Maharashtra's Pune district and a 37-year-old fully vaccinated man who arrived in Delhi from Tanzania - taking the tally to 21 in the country.

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Omicron variant found in almost one-third of US states

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has spread to about one-third of US states, but the Delta version remains the majority of Covid-19 cases nationwide, US health officials said on Sunday.

Though the emergence of the new variant has caused alarm worldwide, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease official, told CNN "thus far it does not look like there's a great degree of severity to it" but he added that it was too early to draw definitive conclusions and more study is needed. - Reuters.

All travellers to UK to show pre-departure virus tests

The UK government has announced that those travelling into the country will need to show a negative coronavirus test pre-departure as it reintroduces Covid-19 restrictions due to the Omicron variant.

From 0400 GMT on Tuesday, anyone travelling to the UK will have to show evidence of a negative lateral flow or PCR test taken within the last 48 hours before boarding a flight, the health ministry said late Saturday. - AFP.

Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) is likely to meet tomorrow to discuss additional dose of Covid-19 & pediatric vaccination: Sources - ANI

Total 9 cases of Omicron variant reported in Rajasthan's Jaipur so far: State Health Dept - ANI

CDC's Walensky says Delta variant still makes up majority of US Covid-19 cases, not Omicron - Reuters

Delhi records 63 Covid cases, zero death; positivity rate increases to 0.11 per cent - PTI

'Omicron' threat: Telangana ups surveillance mechanism

Amid rising concerns over 'Omicron', the new variant of Covid-19, surveillance mechanism has been intensified at the international airport here, a senior health official said on Sunday.

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Issue of administering 'additional' dose of COVID-19 vaccine to immunocompromised individuals will be deliberated upon in meeting of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation scheduled to be held on December 6: Official sources - PTI

Seven more people test positive for Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Maharashtra. Total Omicron cases in state rises to 8

Kerala posts 4,450 new Covid-19 cases, 161 deaths

Kerala on Sunday recorded 4,450 fresh Covid-19 cases and 161 deaths, raising the caseload to 51,54,092 and the toll to 41,600 respectively, the state government said. Of the 161 deaths, 23 were reported over the last few days and 138 were designated as Covid-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, an official press release said - PTI.

'RBI expected to hold rates on uncertainty over new Covid variant'

The Reserve Bank of India is expected to retain key lending rates and accommodative stance to support growth during the upcoming monetary policy review schedule next week, said experts.

The Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the central bank will be held between December 6-8.

"There were growing expectations that in the December MPC meeting, the RBI would hike the reverse repo rate to narrow the corridor between repo and reverse repo rate. However, the new Covid variant 'Omicron' has again pushed the global and Indian economy in a state of uncertainty and nervousness," said Rajani Sinha, Chief Economist and National Director, Research, at Knight Frank India. - IANS.

Memorial to Covid warriors to be constructed on Delhi Assembly premises

The Delhi Assembly will construct a memorial to 'corona warriors' including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, sanitation workers and teachers on its premises to honour their supreme sacrifice and remarkable work during the pandemic, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said on Sunday.

Goel said the memorial will most likely be unveiled on January 26 next year. - PTI.

126 foreign travellers have arrived in Shahjahanpur, 86 people are left for contact tracing, sampling & isolation; process is underway. Medical officers have been directed to take health info of travellers &take samples on&after 7 days of their arrival: CMO, SP Gautam - ANI.

Senegal detects first case of Omicron variant

A first case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been reported in Senegal, in a visitor who was leaving the country after an international meeting in capital Dakar, a research institute said.

The IRESSEF health body said late Saturday that the 58-year-old patient arrived in Senegal by air from another West African country on November 22.

He had been vaccinated earlier this year with the AstraZeneca and Pfizer shots and had no symptoms by Saturday. - AFP.

10 Covid cases detected on cruise ship carrying thousands in US

Ten Covid-19 cases have been detected among crew members and passengers on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship returning to New Orleans on Sunday with thousands on board, a US health authority said.

"The Norwegian Breakaway departed from New Orleans on Nov. 28 and stopped in Belize, Honduras and Mexico on its voyage," the Louisiana Department of Health tweeted Saturday.

Tally of Covid-19 positive students in Chikkamagaluru now 69

The total number of Covid-19 infections in Jawahar Navodaya School at Seegodu in Chikkamagaluru district has risen to 69 including 59 students on Sunday.

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Maharashtra Omicron patient stable, responding well to treatment, says official

The 33-year-old man from Maharashtra's Thane district, who had tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus, is in a "stable" condition and is responding well to the medical treatment, a senior health official said on Sunday.

The marine engineer is currently undergoing treatment at a Covid-19 care centre in Kalyan town, located about 50 km from the state capital Mumbai. Samples of six other people, who tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving in Kalyan-Dombivli area of Thane district from different countries, have been sent for genome sequencing and the results are awaited, another official said.

Covid Omicron variant has supercharged booster vax debate

While calls for booster jabs are growing over concerns of the Omicron Covid variant, their durability, impact and ability to quash the disease remain unknown, according to a report.

Due to the presence of more mutations, Omicron is suspected to undermine vaccine performance. Although, it is yet to be proved, vaccine makers are developing variant-specific boosters, Nature reported.

Immunisations with available shots today could help ward off a surge of Omicron infections, health experts believe, but the question remains whether the need for boosters continue indefinitely.

Puducherry logs 29 new Covid-19 cases, no deaths

The Union Territory of Puducherry logged 29 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday, raising the tally to 1,29,085, while the toll remained at 1,875 with no deaths being reported.

Half of India's adult population fully vaccinated against Covid-19

Over 50 per cent of India's eligible adult population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 127.61 crore.

According to Union Health Ministry officials, over 84.8 per cent of the adult population in India has been administered the first dose.

"Congratulations India.It is a moment of great pride as over 50% of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated. We will win the battle against COVID-19 together," Mandaviya said in a tweet.

8,895 new Covid-19 cases in India; Bihar adds 2,426 backlog deaths

India saw a single-day rise of 2,796 fatalities with Bihar carrying out a reconciliation exercise of its Covid data, pushing the country's death toll to 4,73,326, while 8,895 new infections were reported, according to Union health ministry data updated on Sunday.

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Delhi reports its first case of Omicron, patient returned from Tanzania

6 active Covid-19 cases in Andamans

Six Covid-19 patients are currently undergoing treatment in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a health bulletin said on Sunday.

The coronavirus tally of the Union territory remained unchanged at 7,688 as no new case was reported, it said.

Two more patients were cured of the disease, taking the total number of recoveries to 7,553. A total of 129 patients have succumbed to the infection to date.

Covid-19 vaccination made compulsory in Puducherry

More omicron cases detected in US as hospitals strain under delta surge

New York announced three more cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the number of state cases linked to the new variant to eight.

"The omicron variant is here, and as anticipated we are seeing the beginning of community spread," state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a news release.

The number of states finding the variant is growing as well, with Massachusetts and Washington state announcing their first cases on Saturday, a day after New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland reported their first confirmed cases. Missouri reported its first presumed case on Friday.

Chile reports first case of Omicron variant

Chile has reported its first case of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus after confirming that the case was discovered in a person entering the country from Ghana on November 25.

The Regional Ministry of Health of Valparaiso reported on Saturday that the traveller entered Chile with a negative PCR test, but another test at the Santiago airport returned a positive result, Xinhua news agency reported.

3 persons who arrived in Mumbai from abroad test positive for Covid-19; total rises to 13

Three more passengers who arrived at the Mumbai airport from abroad in the recent days tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, a civic official said. The total of such travellers found with Covid-19 infection since the government made RT-PCR test mandatory for those returning from high risk countries -- over concerns about the Omicron variant -- rose to 13. The state on Saturday also recorded its first Omicron infection case.

(PTI)

A healthcare worker collects swab sample of a woman for Covid-19 test in view of the threat of the new variant (Omicron) of the virus, at a railway station in Patna. Credit: PTI Photo

15 suspected Omicron patients admitted to Delhi hospital

Fifteen suspected patients of Omicron, who flew in the national capital from "at risk" countries", are admitted to the Delhi government's LNJP hospital, according to a senior hospital official.

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Bengaluru malls insist on Covid-19 vaccine certificates

Abiding by the stringent Covid rules of the Karnataka government close on the heels of reporting Omicron variant cases in Bengaluru, several malls in the city on Saturday allowed only those with double vaccination to enter the premises.

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