Omicron in 18% of India's Covid Samples, 50% Cases in Delhi Are Local, Say Govt Sources

The presence of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus has been detected in 18 per cent Covid-19 samples in India, as per data available till December 12.

Top government sources said in Delhi, 50 per cent Omicron infections are local. These cases have been reported from the community without any foreign travel history.

While in Mumbai, sources said, the presence of the Omicron variant in the community is still being analysed.

India registered the highest single-day rise of 309 cases of the Omicron variant, taking the country’s total reported caseload to 1,270, said the Union health ministry on Friday. It also recorded 16,764 new Covid cases and 220 more fatalities. Out of 1,270 patients infected with the Omicron variant, 374 have either recuperated or migrated, according to the ministry’s data updated at 8 am.

Out of the 23 states and union territories that have recorded Omicron cases so far, Maharashtra has registered the highest number at 450 cases, followed by Delhi at 320, Kerala at 109, and Gujarat at 97.

Official sources have also indicated that Omicron has started replacing the Delta variant in the country in terms of the number of Covid-19 cases and 80 per cent of the travellers who tested positive have this new variant. However, a third of all the detected cases were mildly symptomatic, and the rest were asymptomatic, they said.

Noting a considerable decline in Covid testing, the Centre on Thursday urged 19 states/UTs to ramp up testing “in a big way” to identify the positive cases promptly and restrict the spread of transmission in view of the increased transmissibility of Omicron variant, and the larger preponderance of asymptomatic cases.

The health ministry has advised states and UTs to enhance testing, strengthen hospital preparedness, increase the pace and coverage of vaccination drive and ensure strict enforcement of restrictions to counter the spread of infection wherever necessary.

It also advised setting up containment zones and buffer zones as per extant SOPs, strengthening hospital-level preparedness and ensuring optimal utilisation of financial resources.

Ninety per cent of India’s eligible adult population has been administered the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 64.40 per cent people are now fully vaccinated. Highlighting the vaccination coverage in other countries with highest cases and deaths, sources said the data shows vaccination reduces hospitalisation and death.

(With inputs from PTI)

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