Covid LIVE: Mumbai, Delhi again report sharp rise in daily new cases

2,510 new Covid cases reported in Mumbai on Wednesday, 82% higher than Tuesday, while Delhi reports 86% jump at 923 new infections

11:46 PM

Gujarat reports 19 Omicron, 548 Covid-19 cases

Gujarat on Wednesday reported 19 Omicron cases, taking the state's tally of the latest Covid variant to 97. The state also reported 548 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking Gujarat's active Covid caseload to 1,902. Of the total 97 Omicron cases in the state, 41 have been discharged, including 17 on Wednesday.

 

Among the fresh cases reported on Wednesday, 10 persons had a history of international travel, while nine had no travel history, the health department said in a release.

 

Ahmedabad reported eight cases of the new variant on Wednesday, followed by Surat (6), Vadodara (3), and Anand (2).

 

Gujarat also reported 548 fresh Covid cases and one death in the 24 hours ending 5 p.m. on Wednesday against 65 recoveries. Ahmedabad reported the maximum cases at 278, followed by Surat (80), Vadodara (39) and Rajkot (27).

10:24 PM

New Covid-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record

More than a year after the vaccine was rolled out, new cases of COVID-19 in the US have soared to the highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average, a surge driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.

 

The previous mark was 250,000 cases per day, set in mid-January, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University.

 

The fast-spreading mutant version of the virus has cast a pall over Christmas and New Year's, forcing communities to scale back or call off their festivities just weeks after it seemed as if Americans were about to enjoy an almost normal holiday season. Thousands of flights have been cancelled amid staffing shortages blamed on the virus.

9:56 PM

Delhi Health Minister says rise in cases due to international flights coming in

Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in the city, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said many international travellers, who have tested negative at the airport, are testing positive for the virus after a few days and infecting others during the period.

 

"The cases have increased due to international flights. Even during the earlier wave, the cases rose with flights coming in," the minister told reporters.

 

Jain also said preparations for the vaccination of children and booster doses for the elderly in the first week of January have been completed and up to three lakh people can be vaccinated on a daily basis.

 

Delhi on Wednesday reported a massive jump in daily COVID-19 infections with 923 fresh cases, the highest since May 30. After six months, the positivity rate crossed 1 percent to reach 1.29 percent.

9:33 PM

Delhi reports 923 new infections; 86% jump in daily cases

Delhi on Wednesday reported 923 fresh Covid-19 cases -- the highest single-day rise since May 30 when the national capital recorded 946 new cases. The fresh infections have pushed the overall caseload to 14,45,102.

 

No Covid fatality, however, has been reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 25,107.

 

Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate in the city has crossed 1 per cent, and currently stands at 1.29 per cent -- the highest in the last seven months. According to the Delhi Health Department, the city had recorded 1.58 per cent positivity rate on May 28.

 

The number of active Covid cases has also climbed to 2,191 -- the highest in the last 6 months. According to the Health Department, Delhi had recorded the highest (2,372) active Covid cases on June 19.

9:24 PM

Mumbai reports 2,510 new coronavirus cases

Mumbai reported 2,510 fresh COVID-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours, informed the state health bulletin.

 

As per the bulletin, the financial capital has reported 2,510 new cases, one death and 251 recoveries on Wednesday.

 

Mumbai has 8,060 active cases and the recovery rate stands at 97 per cent.Presently, 45 buildings have been sealed in Mumbai. Meanwhile, Maharashtra cabinet minister Aditya Thackeray chaired a meeting at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. In the meeting, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and other health officials were also present.

9:10 PM

38 per cent of samples analysed at Delhi labs in last one week detected with Omicron: Data

About 38 per cent of the total samples analysed at various genome sequencing laboratories in Delhi in the past one week have been detected with Omicron variant of Covid, according to officials documents, as the cases of the new variant saw a record spike in this period in the national capital.

 

The documents shared by official sources also showed that of the 468 samples analysed during December 21-28, the Delta variant of coronavirus was detected in 31 per cent of these samples, and the rest constituted other variants.

 

These samples were analysed at labs at NCDC, ILBS and LNJP Hospital, the sources said. A senior official in the South East district administration said that out of 14 Omicron cases, seven did not have any travel history. The official also claimed that the new variant has been "spreading in the community", even as he didn't divulge any further details.

8:48 PM

WHO's Tedros concerned about 'tsunami of cases' from Covid variants

The simultaneous circulation of the Delta and Omicron variants of the coronavirus is creating a "tsunami of cases", World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing on Wednesday.

 

"Delta and Omicrom are now twin threats driving up cases to record numbers, leading to spikes in hospitalisation and deaths," said Tedros.

 

"I am highly concerned that Omicron, being highly transmissible and spreading at the same time as Delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases."

8:02 PM

Delhi reports 923 new cases in a day

7:36 PM

Gujarat reports 19 new Omicron cases in the last 24 hours

7:02 PM

Mumbai reports 2,510 new cases in last 24 hours

5:21 PM

15 notices issued against e-commerce entities and sellers found selling pressure cookers online

4:56 PM

Andhra Pradesh reports 10 Omicron cases on Tuesday

4:23 PM

Mumbai may cross 2,000 daily Covid cases today, says Aaditya Thackeray

3:46 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to UAE postponed: Report

3:38 PM

Curbs likely if Mumbai's positivity rate above 5%, says Tope

3:25 PM

Rajasthan reports 23 more Omicron cases

2:52 PM

Ganguly received monoclonal anti-body cocktail therapy and is currently stable: Hospital

2:37 PM

Bengal CM asks officials to review COVID situation, says schools and colleges will be shut if need be

2:22 PM

No Omicron patient has required oxygen support so far, says Delhi health minister

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that not a single Omicron patient in the national capital has required Oxygen support so far.

 

"COVID-19 positivity rate is around 1% with 496 new cases reported yesterday. The cases have increased with the arrival of international flights. Not a single Omicron patient has required oxygen support so far," said Jain.

1:47 PM

167 Omicron cases so far, 90 patients have been discharged: Maharashtra Health Minister

1:32 PM

Antibodies that can block Omicron variant identified

Scientists have identified antibodies that neutralise Omicron and other variants of coronavirus by targeting areas that remain essentially unchanged as the virus mutates.

The research, published in the journal Nature, may help design vaccines and antibody treatments that will be effective against not only Omicron but other variants that may emerge in the future.

"This finding tells us that by focusing on antibodies that target these highly conserved sites on the spike protein, there is a way to overcome the virus' continual evolution," said David Veesler, an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in the US.

12:51 PM

Maybach added to PM Modi's security detail routine replacement: Govt sources

Amid speculation on the price and other details of the Mercedes Maybach added to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security detail, government sources said on Wednesday that the new cars are not an upgrade but routine replacement as BMW had stopped making the model used for him earlier.

"The cars cost much less than the media speculation, in fact it is about one-third of the price quoted in the media," an official source said.

The price quoted for a Maybach car in a section of the media is over Rs 12 crore.

12:34 PM

Long queues outside many stations as Delhi Metro trains run with new Covid norms

Long queues of people were seen outside various Delhi Metro stations on Wednesday morning, a day after new restrictions were put in place by authorities, including running of its trains with only 50 per cent seating capacity and no provision for standing for commuters, in view of rising cases of COVID-19 in Delhi.

In view of the latest guidelines issued by the city government for the containment of coronavirus in Delhi, travel inside the metro will be allowed, with certain restrictions, DMRC officials said on Tuesday.

12:29 PM

New ISI chief gives instructions not to release his pictures, footage

Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum Director General (DG) of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has asked all concerned authorities not to release his picture or video footage to the media made during any official meeting, The News International reported.

A federal minister said for the same reason, the government did not release any of his picture or video footage.

The National Security Committee met on Monday which was attended by the DG ISI. However, the picture and video footage, released to the media by the government, showed almost everyone else except for the top spymaster of the country, The News International reported.

12:03 PM

EC reviews UP poll preparedness with officials in Lucknow

A delegation of the Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra held a review meeting on Wednesday with the state's senior officials in Lucknow to asses the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly poll preparedness.

The Chief Secretary, District Magistrates, Police Commissioners, Deputy Inspector General of Police officers, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Additional Chief Secretary (Law and Order), among other officials were present in the meeting.

The Election Commission delegation is on a three-day visit to poll bound Uttar Pradesh.

11:59 AM

20 int'l passengers test Covid positive at B'luru airport

At least 20 foreign passengers have tested positive for Covid-19 at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, sources said on Wednesday.

Of the 20 infected, seven came from Paris; five each from London and Frankfurt; and one each from the UAE and Kuwait. The nationality of the last person was yet to be ascertained

Airport authorities are on high alert as most of the infections passengers, who are currently in isolation, came from high-risk countries.

11:48 AM

Asia keeps omicron at bay, but a surge may be inevitable

Much of Asia has largely managed to keep omicron at bay even as the variant rages in other parts of the world, but the region that is home to most of the globe's population is bracing for what may be an inevitable surge.

Strict quarantine rules for arrivals and widespread mask wearing have helped slow the spread of the highly contagious variant in Asia. Countries such as Japan, South Korea and Thailand quickly reinstated entry and quarantine restrictions in recent weeks after relaxing them in the fall.

But cases are mounting, and experts say the next few months will be critical. Those fears have been amplified by doubts about the effectiveness of the Chinese-made vaccines used in China and much of the developing world.

11:25 AM

Ronaldo statue in Goa creates stir over colonial Portuguese linkages

A large brass statue of Cristiano Ronaldo which was unveiled at a park in Goa's beach village of Calangute, has created a stir in the coastal state over the footballer's Portuguese linkage.

The statue, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, with the aim of inspiring youngsters to emulate the maestro, triggered black flag protests at the site, with protesters accusing the state authorities of neglecting local football legends like Arjuna award winner and former India football team captain Bruno Coutinho, who also hails from Calangute.

However, according to local BJP MLA and Ports Minister, Michael Lobo, the plan to install the 410-415 kg brass statue, depicting the living legend in action, has been in the offing for the last two years.

11:25 AM

Amid Covid, 'New Normal' most used phrase in 2021, reveals Google

While the phrase "now more than ever" was the one mostly searched and used in 2020, it was the turn of "new normal" amid the Covid-19 pandemic that was used the most in 2021, according to Google.

Google's 'Ngrams' tool (launched in 2009 by part of the Google Books team) has revealed how words and phrases have fallen and risen in popularity over time.

Ngrams shows how books and other pieces of literature have used certain words or phrases over time, and we can chart their popularity throughout the years.

11:03 AM

Delhi's air quality in 'poor' category, AQI at 286

With the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 286, the air quality in the national capital remains in the 'poor' category, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

 

The concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 stood at 116 in the 'poor' and 221 in the 'moderate' category respectively.

 

While the air quality of Noida remains in the 'very poor' category with AQI at 301, the air quality in Gurugram has slipped to the 'poor' category with AQI at 297.