Coronavirus News Highlights: Taiwan records first Omicron case in traveller from Africa

India reported 7,992 new Covid-19 cases, 393 deaths on Saturday, according to Health Ministry data. Meanwhile, a 48-hour ban on large gatherings has been enforced in Mumbai in light of Omicron threats. Maharashtra has reported 7 new Omicron cases, taking the country's tally to 33.

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Taiwan records first Omicron case in traveller from Africa

Taiwan has recorded its first case of the omicron variant in a passenger who recently travelled to the southern African country of Eswatini, health officials said Saturday.

The passenger, a Taiwanese woman in her 30s who returned on December 8, is now in quarantine in hospital, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center, which is in charge of the island's pandemic response. Passengers who sat near her on the plane have tested negative so far.

(AP)

Andhra Pradesh reports 156 Covid-19 cases, 3 fatalities. Infection tally rises to 20,74,708, death toll 14,465. Number of active cases stands at 1,954.

(PTI)

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Dead man gets Covid-19 vaccination certificate in Rajgarh

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Maintain strict vigil on Covid situation with focussed district level measures: Centre to states

Drawing attention towards three states where eight districts have been reporting over 10 per centCovidpositivity rate, the Centre has asked all states and union territories to maintain strict watch on the situation with focussed district level measures for containment of clusters of new cases.

In a letter to states and union territories (UTs), Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said 19 districts in Kerala, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Manipur, West Bengal and Nagaland have been reporting positivity rates between five and 10 per cent in the last two weeks.

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Taiwan confirms first case of Omicron variant

Taiwan's government said on Saturday that it had detected the island's first case of the OmicronCovid-19 variant.

The Central Epidemic Command Centre said the infection was detected in a traveller from Eswatini, who was already in quarantine, as is the case for all arrivals into Taiwan.

The traveller was asymptomatic. Ten other people seated in front of and behind the traveller on the incoming flight had been under home quarantine and had all tested negative, the centre said.

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Amid Omicron scare, high 'seropositivity' rate should help India, says expert

Observing that data on the new SARS-CoV2 variant, Omicron, is still emerging, an expert has said the very high rate of 'seropositivity' should keep the country in good stead even as he emphasised on increased vaccination coverage and adhering toCovid-appropriate behaviour.

"Because, India has the advantage of very high rate of 'seropositivity' of 70, 80 per cent, and in big cities more than 90 per cent people already have antibodies," Rakesh Mishra, former Director of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) here, told PTI.

In view of the protection available to people, even if they get infected, it will be very mild and most of the time asymptomatic, Mishra, currently Director, Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bangalore, said. It would help the cause in a big way if vaccination coverage is further expanded and if vaccines for children are rolled out, he noted.

48 hour large gathering ban in Mumbai in light of Omicron threat

Man with travel history to Zimbabwe, South Africa tests positive for Omicron in Delhi

Singapore: 2 travellers from UK, airport worker test 'preliminary positive' for Omicron

The local "preliminarily positive" Omicron case is a 38-year-old man who works as a passenger service staff member at the departure gates at Changi Airport Terminal 3, the health ministry said late Friday night.

The two visitors had travelled to Singapore from the United Kingdom via the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) on December 8, it said.

All the three cases were fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, the Channel News Asia reported, quoting the health ministry.

India logs 7,992 new Covid-19 cases, 393 deaths

India on Saturday reported7,992 new Covid-19 cases and 393 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to Union Health Ministry data.

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