Coronavirus News Highlights: Maharashtra logs 42,462 new Covid-19 cases, 23 deaths

Karnataka on Saturday reported 32,793 fresh Covid-19 cases, over 22K in Bengaluru, and seven deaths, state minister K Sudhakar said. India's Covid-19 cases surged further as the nation reported 2,64,202 new Covid-19 infections, 6.7 per cent higher than yesterday, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage crosses 156 crore

India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage crosses 156 crore with more than 57 lakh vaccine doses administered today: Union Health Ministry

Maharashtra logs 42,462 new Covid-19 cases, 23 deaths

Mumbai logs highest one-day Covid deaths in six months, but cases drop to 10,661

Mumbai on Saturday reported 11 new coronavirus-related deaths, the highest single-day toll since July 29 last year, and 10,661 fresh infections, the civic body said. As many as 21,474 patients were discharged, taking the total of recoveries to 8,99,358.

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Kerala registers 17,755 fresh Covid-19 cases, 106 deaths

Kerala registers 17,755 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking infection tally to 53,51,583, death toll mounts to 50,674 with 106 new fatalities; active case count 90,649.

Pune reports 5,705 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths

West Bengal's Covid-19 tally rises to 18,82,761 with 19,064 new cases

West Bengal's Covid-19 tally rises to 18,82,761 with 19,064 new cases, 3,581 less than previous day; 39 fresh fatalities push toll to 20,052: Health Dept

Three lakh take holy dip in Ganga in Prayagraj amid rising coronavirus cases

Holding the event amid rising number of coronavirus cases has emerged as a major challenge before the fair administration. In fact, many on-duty police personnel were found infected with Covid-19 even before the start of the fair.

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Karnataka reports 32,793 fresh Covid-19 cases, over 22K in Bengaluru

Study finds evidence of community transmission of Omicron in Delhi

This is the first study in India that provides evidence of Omicron community transmission with significantly increased breakthrough infections, decreased hospitalisation and symptomatic infection rate among individuals with high seropositivity against SARS CoV-2 infections.

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Delhi reports 20,718 new Covid-19 cases, 30 deaths in last 24 hours

Municipal elections in West Bengal deferred due to rising Covid-19 cases

The notification mentions that in compliance with a division bench order of Calcutta High Court, the Commission “on consideration of the prevalent Covid-19 pandemic situation”, with modification to its earlier notification, has appointed the new date of elections as February 12. The four corporations that are set for polls are Siliguri, Chandernagore, Bidhannagar, and Asansol.

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Philippines confirms community transmission of Omicron, cases hit record

The Philippine health ministry confirmed the local spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant around Manila on Saturday, as infections hit a record high for a third straight day.

"We are seeing community transmission of the Omicron variant in the capital region," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a public briefing.

The region is an urban sprawl of 16 cities home to more than 13 million people.

The community transmission of the Omicron variant is characterised by a steep rise in cases, Vergeire said, adding that infections may peak from the end of this month to mid-February.

Covid-19 cases rising in poll-bound Manipur

TheCovid-19 cases in poll-bound Manipur have been rising with the positivity rate of the contagious virus increasing from 4.1 per cent to 7.1 per cent for the past five days, officials said on Saturday.

Manipur Health and Family Welfare Department's Additional Director Khoirom Sasbeekumar Mangang said that the daily positivity rate of theCovidcases in Manipur has been fluctuating during the past one week. "During the holidays the positivity rate is little less and during the working days theCovid-19 positivity rate is increasing," Mangang, who is the spokesperson of the Health and Family Welfare Department, told IANS.

Kerala govt to suspend offline classes for 2 weeks amid Covid surge

Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday said there was no considerable spread ofCovid-19 among students in the state and the government's decision to put on hold the offline classes for students of grade 1 to 9 for two weeks was a precautionary step as the viral infection saw a surge in recent days. The classes would be suspended for two weeks as a precaution and it was applicable to all educational institutions in the southern state, he told a press conference.

Covid-hit ATK Mohun Bagan's match against Bengaluru FC postponed

With a surge inCovid-19 cases inside the bio-bubble here, ATK Mohun Bagan's Indian Super league match against Bengaluru FC was postponed, hours before their kickoff here on Saturday.

This was their second successive fixture to be postponed. It was only last Saturday that ATKMB's match against Odisha FC had to be postponed after an unnamed player reported positive forCovid-19.

48 more turn Omicron positive in Kerala, tally touches 528

Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday informed that 48 more people have tested positive for Omicron taking the state tally to 528.

Of the total cases, 365 came from low risk countries, 92 from high risk countries, 61 were primary contacts, while 10 came from other states in the country.

Covid surge: WB govt likely to cancel rally to mark Netaji’s birthday on Jan 23, curtail R-Day celebrations

The West Bengal government is likely to cancel a rally to mark legendary freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary on January 23 as well as curtail the Repuplic Day programme on Red Road here, owing to the surge in Covid-19 cases, a state secretariat source said on Saturday.

Omicron less severe even for unvaccinated, claims South African study

In a ray of fresh hope as the world grapples with the surge in Covid infections, a new South African study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, has claimed that the Omicron variant is even less severe for the unvaccinated.

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Amid Covid surge, Pinarayi Vijayan leaves for US for treatment

At a time when Kerala is battling withCovid-19 surge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday left for the US for his treatment at the Mayo Clinic.

Vijayan would return on January 29.

He, along with his wife Kamala and personal assistant, arrived at the Cochin airport on Friday night and spent the night at the special room in the airport before boarding the flight in the wee hours to an airport in the Middle East, from where they will board a direct flight to the US.

Google now requires office workers to get weekly Covid tests

As Omicron-triggered Covid infections surge globally especially in the US, Google has said it will now require fully-vaccinated workers who are coming to offices to get weekly Covid tests.

Google will require anyone going to one of its US offices or facilities to have received a negative molecular test for Covid-19, reports CNBC citing an internal memo sent to employees.

The employees should also report their vaccination status and wear surgical-grade masks while at the office.

Two players withdrawn from India Open due to Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic continued to take a toll on the Yonex-Sunrise India Open badminton tournament with two players being withdrawn from the main draw ahead of their mixed doubles semifinal clash on Saturday.

Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/other-sports/two-players-withdrawn-from-india-open-due-to-covid-19-1071331.html

India logs over 2.68 lakh new Covid-19 cases, Omicron tally at 6,041

India reported2,68,833 lakh fresh Covid-19 cases on Saturday with 402 more succumbing to the disease, government data showed.

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RJD MLA seeks cancellation of FIR against man who took Covid vaccines 12 times

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Prof Chandrashekhar has written a letter to the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Madhepura, seeking cancellation of the FIR registered against one Brahmadev Mandal, 84, who has taken 12 doses of Covid vaccine.

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PM Modi hails Ayush Ministry's 'Surya Namaskar' event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appealed to people to follow all Covid-19 related protocols, wear masks and get vaccinated if eligible.

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What happens to an agnostic when he is sinking?

On Ugadi, April 13, 2021, following a distress call from my brother-in-law, my wife and I drove down to his house. All five in his family — he, his mother, his wife and two daughters — had tested Covid positive, and his own and his mother’s condition was detiorating.

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Restrictions imposed to remain in force till further notice in Jammu & Kashmir

TheJammuandKashmirgovernment on Friday said Covid cases in the region have risen 10 times in the past 10 days.

The sharp spike has necessitated strict observance of the Covid-appropriate behaviour, protocols, and curtailment of unnecessary movement by the general public, it said.

Hong Kong to suspend flight transits from over 100 countries, regions due to Omicron variant

The Airport Authority Hong Kong has said that Hong Kong will ban the transit of flight passengers from more than 100 countries and regions from Sunday until February 15 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Tackle third Covid-19 wave locally

Spreading at breakneck speed, the Omicron variant might give us all the jitters even if it is milder in its potency. So if the exploding numbers mean we are already in the midst of a third wave, will the decentralised triaging system and fight-back perfected during the second wave save us from big trouble this time?

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International passengers mandated to upload RT-PCR report on Air Suvidha app post-arrival

International passengers arriving in India will now need to upload their RT-PCR report on the Air Suvidha portal for the test done on the eighth day of arrival.

As per the fresh guidelines, all international passengers must mandatorily be quarantined at home for seven days, followed by an RT-PCR test on the eighth day.

Earlier, isolation was needed only for those passengers coming from "at risk" countries.

Hindu devotees gather to take a holy dip during Magh Mela festival in Prayagraj.

(Reuters)

Weekend curfew starts, non-essential activities on hold for next 55 hours in Delhi

The weekend curfew, imposed in the national capital to check Covid spread, kicked in from Friday night putting on hold all non-essential activities for the next 55 hours.

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Maharashtra adds 1 lakh Covid cases in 2 days; Pune tops in Omicron infections

Maharashtra has added over one lakh new Covid-19 cases to the state tally which shot above 71 lakh on Friday with a stupendous 200-plus Omicron cases, with Pune overtaking Mumbai, health officials said here.