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Omicron in India: Total cases and 9 latest developments

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Amrutha Pagad
Amrutha PagadDec 07, 2021 | 12:45

Omicron in India: Total cases and 9 latest developments

Is the Omicron variant dangerous? Is it worse than Delta, delta plus, delta plus plus max? Will it cause a third wave in India? Are the Covid-19 vaccines a waste now? Do we need a booster shot?

Doctors and scientists around the world are being hounded by these incessant questions.

Day by day, a little more about the Omicron variant is being unravelled. Here are the 9 latest developments you need to know to put your mind at ease... or not.

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1. TWO NEW CASES DETECTED IN MAHARASHTRA

Two new cases of Omicron were detected in Mumbai on Monday, December 6. Maharashtra has a total of 10 cases of Omicron now. India's total tally has increased to 23. No other state reported any new case of Omicron on Monday.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the state was closely monitoring the situation. He added that any decision on imposing Covid-19 restrictions in the state will be taken in consultation with the Centre and the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray.

2. UNTRACEABLE FOREIGN RETURNEES

On the other hand, in Maharashtra’s Thane district, over 100 foreign returnees have gone ‘missing’ or incommunicado. The local corporation said that the returnees were supposed to be in home quarantine as per new protocols in view of Omicron. However, phones of 109 out of 295 returnees are switched off and many of the addresses given have turned out to be wrong.

3. CROWDS GATHER IN MUMBAI AMID OMICRON SCARE

Over 95,000 people visited Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai on Monday to pay tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar. The gathering comes amid rising Omicron cases in the state. The local authorities said that they had set up health camps and deployed marshals at the venue to enforce social distancing and Covid-19 rules.

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4. INDIA RECORDS LOWEST COVID CASES

The silver lining amid the Omicron scare is that India reported a record low number of daily Covid-19 cases in 558 days. 6,822 new Covid-19 infections were reported in the country on Monday. 220 new Covid-19 deaths were also reported.

5. WILL DELHI IMPOSE A LOCKDOWN?

Rumours are abound that the national capital may impose a lockdown in view of Omicron. However, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday clarified that no such decision has been taken (so far). He said that they are instead working on a ‘Graded Response Action Plan’ which will be based on the number of cases and positivity rate.

The graded plan was formed in response to the deadly second wave in Delhi. The plan is implemented if the positivity rate goes above 0.5%.

6. GOOD NEWS SO FAR...

No foreign returnees at Bengaluru airport tested positive for Covid-19, much less detected with the Omicron variant between December 1 and 6. The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department said that even international arrivals from ‘at-risk’ countries tested negative on arrival.

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However, it needs to be noted that the first few cases of Omicron in India were detected from Karnataka. It included a South African national, who tested positive for Covid-19, but flew to Dubai, after just 7 days of his arrival.

7. WHO TO MEET ON BOOSTER SHOTS

A panel of experts from the World Health Organization will meet today to discuss the immunogenicity, effectiveness, safety, evidence, and consideration for booster dose vaccination. The meeting comes as the world grapples with the Omicron panic.

8. UK CONFIRMS COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION

The UK Health Minister told the Parliament on Monday that the Omicron Covid-19 variant has entered into a community transmission stage in the country. Health Minister Sajid Javid said that there have been a number of Omicron cases where patients don’t have a travel history.

9. IS OMICRON AIRBORNE?

Hong Kong authorities are perplexed and worried after an incident with Omicron infections at a quarantine hotel. Two fully vaccinated travelers being quarantined across the hallway of a Hong Kong hotel, were detected with Omicron.

CCTV footage showed that the travellers did not come into contact with each other and never left their rooms. Authorities have been forced to suspect that Omicron may have spread through the air.

Last updated: December 07, 2021 | 16:16
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