Covid LIVE: Maharashtra reports 11 new cases of Omicron, tally rises to 65

Union Health Ministry writes to states regarding measures that need to be taken in view of initial signs of surge in Covid cases

11:19 PM

No evidence to suggest existing vaccines don't work on Omicron: Govt

There is no evidence to suggest that existing Covid vaccines do not work on the Omicron variant, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

 

"While there is no evidence to suggest that existing vaccines do not work on Omicron, some of the mutations reported on spike gene may decrease the efficacy of existing vaccines," he told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

 

Responding to a question on whether the vaccines being administered in the country are effective to develop immunity against the Omicron variant, he informed the house that there is limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron. However, vaccine protection is also by antibodies as well as by cellular immunity, which is expected to be relatively better preserved.

10:16 PM

Maharashtra reports 11 new Omicron cases, tally reaches 65

Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 11 new infections of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, taking the tally of such cases in the state to 65, the health department said here. As reported by the National Institute of Virology, 11 more patients have been found to be infected by Omicron," it said in a release.

Eight cases came to light following screening at the Mumbai airport while one case each was found at Pimpri-Chinchwad, Osmanabad and Navi Mumbai, the release added. Of the eight cases detected in Mumbai, one each is from Kerala, Gujarat and neighbouring Thane district, while other patients are residents of Mumbai itself. Two of these patients had arrived from Uganda (via Dubai), four from the UK and two from Dubai.

Two of them are minor. Barring the two under-18 patients, others are vaccinated, and all eight are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, the health department added. The 13-year-old daughter of an Omicron-infected patient from Osmanabad in central Maharashtra was also found to be infected by the new variant. She has no symptoms, the release said.

 

Elsewhere, a 19-year-old man from Navi Mumbai who had arrived from Kenya via Hyderabad tested positive for Omicron. He is fully vaccinated and has no symptoms, officials said.

10:03 PM

Three Omicron cases confirmed in Jammu

Three cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus have been found in J&K's Jammu city, it was announced on Tuesday. Samples for Omicron confirmation had been sent by the health department authorities to National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi from where positive reports were received on Tuesday.

 

"Three omicron cases confirmed by NCDC Delhi from a cluster in Jammu.

 

"Sample were taken on November 30. RTPCR testing of entire locality ordered. Please observe Covid Appropriate Behaviour," the Health and Medical Education Department said in a tweet.

9:40 PM

21 fresh Covid cases, one more death in Rajasthan

Rajasthan on Tuesday recorded 21 fresh COVID-19 cases and one more death, according to an official report.

 

With this, the total caseload increased to 9,55,273 and the death toll climbed to 8,961, the report stated.

 

Of the fresh cases, nine were reported from Jaipur, four from Jaisalmer, three from Ajmer, and one each from Sri Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Pratapgarh and Udaipur, it said.

 

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan stands at 217, it said.                                             

9:18 PM

Maharashtra govt to give Rs 31.92 cr compensation to kin of 6,385 Covid victims

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday issued an order to disburse Rs 31.92 crore to 6,385 applicants whose kin succumbed to COVID-19.

 

The order, issued by the state department for disaster management, said Rs 50,000 cash will be transferred.

 

Over 1 lakh COVID-19 patients have died in Maharashtra since the pandemic began in March last year.

9:10 PM

Two omicron cases detected in Odisha

At least two people in Odisha have tested positive for the omicron variant of COVID-19, the first cases of the latest version of coronavirus in the state, officials said on Tuesday.

 

Bhubaneswar-based Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) confirmed the existence of the variant in the two patients after conducting the genome sequencing of 12 samples. Both of them have travel history to foreign nations - Nigeria and Qatar, they said.

 

The returnee from the African country is fully vaccinated, and is stable in hospital, Cuttack District COVID-19 Nodal Officer Umesh Ray said. All his contacts have tested negative, he added. The other patient is also stable in hospital.

8:55 PM

Maharashtra reports 825 new Covid cases

8:36 PM

Three cases of Omicron variant confirmed from a locality in Jammu

8:17 PM

Maharashtra reports 11 new cases of Omicron, tally rises to 65

7:45 PM

Omicron is at least 3 times more transmissible than Delta, says govt

7:28 PM

Omicron variant is milder than Delta in terms of severity, a few patients didn't even get fever: Experts

6:20 PM

TMC RS MP Derek O'Brien suspended from rest of winter session

5:42 PM

Total number of Omicron cases in Delhi rises to 54

The total number of cases of new Omicron variant of COVID-19 recorded in the national capital has mounted to 54, according to data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday.

 

Some details related to 45 of these cases in Delhi have been shared by authorities, but details on the remaining nine cases are awaited.

4:43 PM

'No recommendation' by GST Council to bring petroleum products under new tax regime

The GST Council has not recommended bringing petroleum products under the reformed taxation regime, Parliament was told Tuesday. Excise duty on petroleum products is calibrated periodically for generating resources for infrastructure and other developmental items of expenditure, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, according to PTI.

4:05 PM

Lok Sabha sends 2 Bills to standing committees

Lok Sabha on Tuesday sent two bills, including the proposed law to increase the minimum age of marriage for women to 21 years from 18, to standing committees amid continuous protests by opposition parties over a number of issues which marred its proceedings and cut it short. The House also sent the bill to amend the Chartered Accountants Act, the Cost and Works Accountants Act and the Company Secretaries Act to the departmental standing committee, PTI reported.

3:49 PM

Karnataka tables bill to ban religious conversion

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra tables before the state legislative assembly a Bill banning religious conversion, reports ANI. 

3:33 PM

Rajya Sabha passes election reform Bill

Rajya Sabha passes a Bill that proposes electoral reforms including linking Aadhaar with the voter ID card. Lok Sabha passed the the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 on Modi amid protests by Opposition parties.

3:18 PM

India's rooftop solar capacity addition tripled in Jan-Sept

India's rooftop solar capacity addition tripled to 1.3 GW during January-September 2021 as compared to the same period a year ago, said a report Tuesday. The country added 448 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar in July-September this year, a 14 per cent drop quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) compared to 521 MW installed in April-June, PTI said quoting the Mercom India Rooftop Solar Market Report Q3 2021.

2:57 PM

Decision to raise women's age to marry causing pain to some: Modi

"Daughters too want to learn and progress, so the government is trying increase the minimum age for them to marry. The government decision to raise women's marriage age to 21 is causing pain to some,” says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

2:46 PM

Court discharges former BJP MLA Senger in accident case of Unnao rape survivor

A court in Delhi has discharged former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger and five others in the 2019 accident case of Unnao rape survivor, saying that prima facie no charges are made out against him, PTI reported. In its order Monday, the court noted that the police charge sheet did not find mention of any record or evidence regarding the criminal conspiracy between the accused persons ordered to be put on trial with the accused Sengar.

2:22 PM

ED arrests ex-promoter brothers of Unitech

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested jailed ex-promoter brothers of the Unitech realty group-- Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra-- in a money laundering case being investigated against them, officials said on Tuesday. They said the brothers were taken into custody on Monday and have been brought to Delhi from Mumbai where they were lodged in separate jails in an alleged cheating case filed by the Delhi Police, PTI reported.

2:08 PM

Lok Sabha disrupted, Opposition protests continue

Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Tuesday amid protests by Opposition members on various issues including the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Soon after the House assembled for the day, Opposition members from different political parties including the Congress, DMK and TMC stormed into the Well and began protesting, displaying placards, PTI reported.

1:50 PM

Govt considering SC review petition to allow reservation of OBCs in local body polls

The government has said it is considering moving a review petition before the Supreme Court to allow “political reservation” of OBCs in local administration bodies and municipal corporations till states comply with the apex court's triple test criteria. The development comes after the Supreme Court decided to strike down the recent 27 percent reservation in favour of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies made by Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments, PTI reported.

1:46 PM

World seeks more from India: Jaishankar

India's stature on the global stage has grown significantly and the world expects more from the country, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday. "There is so much that we too can seek from the world for our national development. All of this has direct relevance to good governance," Jaishankar said at an event organised to mark 'Good Governance Week'.

 

1:22 PM

Goa: All passengers who arrived from UK tested for Covid on arrival, 4 test positive

All passengers who arrived from UK today morning were tested on arrival. Four travellers have been tested positive. They have been isolated at PHC Cansaulim: Vishwajit Rane, Minister for Health, Goa

12:17 PM

Kolkata Municipal polls: It's a landmark victory, says Mamata Banerjee

It's a landmark victory, it has sent a clear message that people have accepted our work. BJP, Left & Congress are nowhere: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

 

12:00 PM

Kolkata Municipal polls: Out of the 144 seats, TMC wins in 54 and is leading on 78

Out of the 144 seats, TMC wins in 54 and is leading on 78 as per the latest official trends.

11:26 AM

Monsoon session 2021 LIVE: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after opposition parties object to time being allocated to electoral bill without them being part of BAC

11:24 AM

Two hundred Omicron cases reported in India so far, 5,326 new COVID-19 cases

Two hundred cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in India so far out of which 77 patients have recovered or migrated, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Maharashtra and Delhi have recorded 54 cases of Omicron variant each, while Telangana registered 20 cases, Karnataka 19, Rajasthan 18, Kerala 15 and Gujarat 14 cases.

The ministry data updated on Tuesday also stated that India recorded 5,326 new cases of coronavirus infections, the lowest in 581 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,47,52,164, while the active cases declined to 79,097, the lowest in 574 days.

11:23 AM

Snapdeal files IPO papers with Sebi

E-commerce platform Snapdeal has filed preliminary documents with markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO).

The public issue comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 1,250 crore and an offer for sale of 3.07 crore equity shares, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).

Proceeds from fresh issue would be used towards funding organic growth initiatives and general corporate purposes.