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A school student receives a dose of the Covid vaccine in Kolkata. With 58,097 new Covid cases recorded in 24 hours ending 9 am on Wednesday, India’s total tally of cases rose to 3,50,18,358. The country’s active caseload was recorded above the 2 lakh-mark for the first time in around 81 days, according to data released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
A total of 2,135 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected across 24 states and UTs so far, out of which 828 have recovered or migrated. Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of cases at 653, followed by Delhi at 464, Kerala 185, Rajasthan 174, Gujarat 154 and Tamil Nadu with 121 cases.
Meanwhile, the death toll climbed to 4,82,551 with 534 daily fatalities.
‘Delhi likely to record 10,000 cases today; 3rd wave has set in,’ says Satyendar Jain
Delhi is likely to report 10,000 cases of Coronavirus on Wednesday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, adding that the third wave of the pandemic has officially set in.
“Genome sequencing of all Covid samples not possible now, only 300-400 samples being sequenced,” he said in a press conference. “Covid testing has been increased. Around 90,000 tests were conducted on Tuesday.”
This comes a day after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority imposed a weekend curfew in the National Capital. Under the new guidelines, only essential movement will be allowed during the curfew. It also decided to implement work from home in all government offices, while private offices will be permitted to function at 50 per cent capacity.
Rapid RT-PCR test mandatory for all international passengers landing in Mumbai
In view of the recent surge in Covid cases, fuelled by the Omicron variant, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made rapid RT-PCR test mandatory for all international passengers landing at the Mumbai International Airport.
Under the new guidelines, passengers testing positive for coronavirus in the rapid test will then have to undergo routine RT-PCR test, while the negative passengers will be allowed to leave but will be required to observe mandatory home quarantine for seven days, he said.
Odisha records 1,216 new cases, highest single-day tally in 5 months
Odisha recorded its highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases in nearly five months, with 1,216 more people testing positive on Wednesday, the health department said.
With two Covid patients succumbing to the infection in Khurda, the toll mounted to 8,466.
As many as 187 children were among those newly infected, the department’s bulletin stated.
Punjab: SAD (Sanyukt) Chief tests positive for Covid-19
SAD (Sanyukt) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa on Wednesday tested positive for Covid-19 and has isolated himself at his house, a party statement said.
“Samples were given last evening but the report came on my mobile only when I had reached Moga,” he told “Now I am on my way back to Chandigarh.”
Six more Omicron cases detected in Goa
The Omicron tally in Goa rose to 11 on Tuesday, with six travellers who had arrived in the state from the United Kingdom testing positive for the new variant.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane tweeted late at night that six more samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune had tested positive for Omicron variant of coronavirus.
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