NEW DELHI: Union health ministry on Wednesday said that India has reported over 6.3 times increase in its daily count of coronavirus cases in the last eight days.
The positivity rate has also seen a sharp increase as it surged from 0.79 per cent on December 29, 2021, to 5.03 per cent on January 6, 2022, Joint Secretary of health ministry, Lav Agrawal said during a briefing of the ministry today.
Dominance of Omicron
Dr Balram Bhargava, DG-ICMR during the briefing said, “Omicron is the predominant circulating strain in the cities in the country, mass gatherings to be avoided to lower the speed of this spread.”
Maharashtra and Delhi are among the worst-hit states with the highest number of recorded Omicron cases at 653 and 464 respectively.
‘States of concern’
Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Gujarat have been termed as ‘States of concern’ by the government as they have recorded a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Total 28 districts in the country are reporting more than 10 per cent weekly positivity, the ministry said.
India Covid cases
As many as 4,82,551 recoveries and 534 deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours were also reported by the Ministry.
India on Wednesday reported 58,097 fresh Covid cases and 534 deaths while on Tuesday, the country had recorded 37,379 new Covid cases and 124 deaths.
While the cumulative recoveries from the virus stand at 3,43,21,803, the total Covid deaths were reported to be 4,82,551.
World Covid cases and deaths
Agrawal noted that on January 4, 25.2 lakh cases were recorded globally, the highest ever since the onset of the pandemic. Approximately 65 per cent of cases in the week ending January 4 reported from the USA, UK, France, Italy and Spain, he said.
According to the ministry, 108 deaths have been reported due to the new coronavirus variant Omicron globally, so far.
Vaccination drive for children
Meanwhile, in the ongoing vaccination drive for children aged between 15 to 18 years, the ministry informed that a total of 7.40 crore children are between the specified age group and are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination.
As per CoWIN portal, 1,37,29,217 children have registered and 1,18,22,818 beneficiaries of this age group had taken their jabs till 4.40 pm.
(With inputs from agencies)
The positivity rate has also seen a sharp increase as it surged from 0.79 per cent on December 29, 2021, to 5.03 per cent on January 6, 2022, Joint Secretary of health ministry, Lav Agrawal said during a briefing of the ministry today.
Dominance of Omicron
Dr Balram Bhargava, DG-ICMR during the briefing said, “Omicron is the predominant circulating strain in the cities in the country, mass gatherings to be avoided to lower the speed of this spread.”
Maharashtra and Delhi are among the worst-hit states with the highest number of recorded Omicron cases at 653 and 464 respectively.
‘States of concern’
Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Gujarat have been termed as ‘States of concern’ by the government as they have recorded a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Total 28 districts in the country are reporting more than 10 per cent weekly positivity, the ministry said.
India Covid cases
As many as 4,82,551 recoveries and 534 deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours were also reported by the Ministry.
India on Wednesday reported 58,097 fresh Covid cases and 534 deaths while on Tuesday, the country had recorded 37,379 new Covid cases and 124 deaths.
While the cumulative recoveries from the virus stand at 3,43,21,803, the total Covid deaths were reported to be 4,82,551.
World Covid cases and deaths
Agrawal noted that on January 4, 25.2 lakh cases were recorded globally, the highest ever since the onset of the pandemic. Approximately 65 per cent of cases in the week ending January 4 reported from the USA, UK, France, Italy and Spain, he said.
According to the ministry, 108 deaths have been reported due to the new coronavirus variant Omicron globally, so far.
Vaccination drive for children
Meanwhile, in the ongoing vaccination drive for children aged between 15 to 18 years, the ministry informed that a total of 7.40 crore children are between the specified age group and are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination.
As per CoWIN portal, 1,37,29,217 children have registered and 1,18,22,818 beneficiaries of this age group had taken their jabs till 4.40 pm.
(With inputs from agencies)
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