Omicron LIVE: 5 more cases detected in Karnataka; India's tally at 83

2 of the 5 new cases are from Delhi, says Karanataka Health Minister

12:29 AM

Omicron is dominant in wastewater samples in Florida county

Even though there have been practically no cases of clinical infection, wastewater samples show that the new omicron variant is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the Florida county that is home to the nation's largest theme park resorts, officials said this week.

 

The omicron variant has quickly surpassed the delta variant in collections taken from wastewater sampling sites in Orange County, officials said.

 

A sampling this week showed that omicron represented almost 100% of the strains in the samples from the wastewater facilities, Orange County Utilities spokesperson Sarah Lux said in an email.

11:46 PM

Two-thirds of Delhi's eligible population fully vaccinated against Covid

Of the nearly 1.5 crore people eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in Delhi, over one crore have received both doses of vaccine, according to government data.

 

According to the CoWIN portal, over 2.46 crore doses have been administered in the city since the inoculation exercise started on January 16. As many as 1,00,20,014 people have received both doses.

 

Over 1.08 lakh people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in Delhi on Thursday.

 

Authorities in Northwest Delhi district have administered the maximum number of doses (over 29 lakh) in the capital, followed by Southwest Delhi (28.69 lakh) and West Delhi (26.57 lakh).

10:25 PM

Four more Omicron cases found in Hyderabad

Four more cases of Omicron, the new variant of Covid-19, were reported in Hyderabad on Thursday, taking the total number of cases detected to seven.

 

Three of those tested positive for Omicron were from Kenya while the fourth person is an Indian, who had come from 'at risk' country.

 

Telangana's Director of Public Jealth Dr G. Srinivasa Rao said the city got four imported Omicron positive cases on Thursday. He said the details will be shared on Friday morning.

 

Three Omicron cases were reported on Wednesday. A 24-year-old female from Kenya and a 23-year-old male from Somalia were found infected by the new variant. A boy had also tested positive for Omicron but he did not enter the city as he left for Kolkata by a domestic flight.

10:13 PM

EU drug agency gives advice on use of Pfizer COVID-19 pill

The European Union drug regulator issued advice on Thursday on the use of Pfizer's experimental pill to treat COVID-19 to countries where authorities may want to use it before it is officially authorized amid surging infection rates.

 

The European Medicines Agency said the medicine, which is not yet authorised for use in the 27-nation EU, can be used to treat adults with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe disease.

 

It said the drug should be given as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within 5 days of the start of symptoms.

9:11 PM

133 fresh COVID-19 cases, 5 deaths in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday recorded 133 fresh COVID-19 cases that took its tally to 3,39,404, while five more fatalities pushed the death toll 4,508, officials said.

 

Of the fresh cases, 31 were from the Jammu division and 102 from the Kashmir division of the union territory, they said.

 

Srinagar district recorded the highest number of new cases at 48, followed by 24 in Baramulla district.

 

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 1,435. So far, 3,33,461 people have recovered from the viral disease, the officials said.

 

There are 50 mucormycosis (black fungus) cases in the union territory. No fresh case has been reported since last evening, they said.

9:03 PM

Karnataka reports five more Omicron cases; tally now 8

Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Thursday said five more cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in the state. This takes the state's tally of Omicron cases to eight.

 

"Five more cases of Omicron have been detected in Karnataka today: 19 yr male returning from UK, 36 yr male returning from Delhi, 70 yr female returning from Delhi, 52 yr male returning from Nigeria, 33 yr male returning from South Africa," Sudhakar tweeted.

 

The country's first two Omicron cases-- a South African national who has left the country, and the other a local person, a Doctor with no travel history, were detected in the State on December 2. A 34-year-old Bengaluru native who returned to the city following a business trip in South Africa had become the third case on December 12.

8:36 PM

'Five more cases of Omicron have been detected in Karnataka today'

8:13 PM

Pakistan-West Indies ODIs postponed and rescheduled for early June 2022

8:08 PM

Tri services inquiry into chopper crash expected to be completed within next two weeks: Sources

7:55 PM

Kerala reports 3,404 new cases

6:46 PM

Can't dismiss as 'mild', Omicron spreading faster than other Covid-19 variants: WHO Regional Director

6:44 PM

Woman health worker tests positive for Omicron variant in Gujarat's Mehsana

A 41-year-old woman health worker was found infected with the Omicron variant of coronavirus at a village in Vijapur tehsil of Gujarat's Mehsana district on Thursday, officials said.

 

This is the fifth case of Omicron infection in Gujarat so far.

 

"The woman serves as an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA). She does not have any history of foreign travel, but she recently came in contact with her relatives who had arrived from Zimbabwe, one of the 'at risk' countries," Chief District Health Officer Dr Vishnubhai Patel said.

5:16 PM

Govt lowers GST rate to 5% from 18% on ethanol meant for blending under EBP programme

4:32 PM

A govt job and Rs 1 crore will be given to the family Group Captain Varun Singh: MP CM

3:18 PM

Mortal remains of Group Captain Varun Singh reach Bhopal airport

2:14 PM

A fire broke out at Gujarat Fluoro Chemicals Ltd

1:56 PM

Assam CM now deletes his tweet on increasing the age limit for the marriage of girls

1:24 PM

SC appoints two former judges as mediators for Lalit Modi, mother to resolve property dispute

The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed two retired top court judges as mediators between former IPL head Lalit Modi and his mother Bina Modi, wife of iate industrialist K K Modi, to resolve a long pending property dispute in the family.

1:06 PM

Natural farming will benefit country's 80% small-scale farmers

Natural farming will benefit country's 80% small-scale farmers the most. These farmers have less than 2 hectares of land and spend a lot on chemical fertilizers... but using natural fertilizers will benefit them: PM Modi at National Summit on Agro & Food Processing

12:52 PM

Our aim is to adapt our agriculture according to new requirements, new challenges: PM Modi

"We all have closely seen the way in which agriculture developments took place in the country after independence. Now our aim till the 100th year of independence is to adapt our agriculture according to new requirements, new challenges": Prime Minister

12:45 PM

PM Modi speaks at National Summit on Agro & Food Processing

"About 80 million farmers have joined us today; the conclave's impact will not just be in Gujarat, but countrywide, benefitting all farmers. Food processing, natural farming all these issues will help in transforming farm sector", he says.

12:40 PM

The summit of Russia, India, and China can be held in the near future

The summit of Russia, India, and China can be held in the near future, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said on Wednesday: Russian News Agency TASS

12:06 PM

Four more cases of Omicron detected in Delhi

Four more cases of Omicron detected in Delhi, taking total count to 10: City Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

 

12:01 PM

Monsoon Session: Suspended Rajya Sabha MPs continue their protest on Parliament premises

11:43 AM

Coronavirus update: India's Covid recovery rate currently at 98.38%

India's Covid recovery rate currently at 98.38%; highest since March, 2020

 

11:22 AM

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm

Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid protest by Opposition parties in support of 12 suspended lawmakers.

11:12 AM

PSB unions go on strike for 2 days

Employees of public sector banks (PSBs) on Thursday went on two-day strike against the move to privatise public sector banks impacting normal banking operation across the country. Many branches across different parts of the country were shut as the United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions including All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) had given two day strike call.

10:09 AM

Shares rise after four-session losing streak

Indian shares rose on Thursday after a four-session losing streak, in line with global markets as a move by the U.S. Federal Reserve to end its bond-buying programme in March indicated confidence in economic recovery from pandemic shock. The NSE Nifty 50 index was up 0.78% at 17,355 by 0345 GMT, while the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex rose 0.86% to 58,287.07.

9:25 AM

India reports 7,974 new cases of Covid-19

India reports 7,974 new cases of Covid-19 overnight, says health ministry.

9:04 AM

Congress seeks Lok Sabha debate on Lakhimpur, bank privatisation

Congress MP Manickam Tagore gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss Uttar Police’s investigation of the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. His fellow party lawmaker Manish Tewari gives adjournment motion notice to discuss "government's attempts on weakening the Public Sector Banks (PSBs)".