Covid Third Wave in India: 1.8 lakh new cases, booster doses begin and 6 updates
In the past 24 hours, India has registered 1,79,723 Covid-19 cases and 146 deaths. The highest number of Covid-19 cases have been registered in Maharashtra, with 44,388 cases, followed by West Bengal with 24,287 cases. Delhi has registered 22,751 cases, Tamil Nadu with 12,895 cases and Karnataka 12,000 cases.
#Unite2FightCorona#LargestVaccineDrive#OmicronVariant ????? ?????https://t.co/0t98LbFXIn pic.twitter.com/nhhgxOzjg4
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 10, 2022
Meanwhile, genome sequencing for Omicron remains an issue, what with the exponential increase in Covid numbers and the time taken in identifying Omicron. As of now, 4,003 Omicron cases have been identified in India.
1. 4,003 OMICRON CASES IN TOTAL HAVE BEEN REGISTERED IN INDIA
Here's the state and UT-wise break-up:
Maharashtra – 1,216
Rajasthan - 529
Delhi – 513
Karnataka - 441
Kerala – 333
Gujarat - 236
Tamil Nadu – 185
Haryana - 123
Telangana – 123
Uttar Pradesh - 113
Odisha - 74
Andhra Pradesh – 28
Punjab - 27
West Bengal – 27
Goa – 19
Madhya Pradesh – 10
Assam – 9
Uttarakhand - 8
Meghalaya - 4
Chandigarh - 3
Jammu and Kashmir - 3
Andaman and Nicobar Islands – 3
Puducherry – 2
Chhattisgarh - 2
Himachal Pradesh - 1
Ladakh - 1
Manipur – 1
2. UNION HEALTH MINISTER TO HOLD COVID-19 MEETING TODAY
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted that he will be holding a Covid-19 meeting with the health ministers and high officials of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Maharashtra at 3.30 pm on January 10. The meeting will focus on the preparation done to combat the new wave in these states.
आज दोपहर 3:30 बजे मैं गुजरात, राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, गोवा, दादरा नगर हवेली, दमन और दीव एवं महाराष्ट्र के स्वास्थ्य मंत्रियों एवं उच्च अधिकारियों के साथ बैठक करुंगा।कोरोना से निपटने की तैयारियों व इससे सम्बंधित अन्य पहलुओं पर विस्तार से चर्चा होगी।
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) January 10, 2022
3. INDIA BEGINS ROLLING OUT PRECAUTIONARY DOSE FOR 60+ AND FRONTLINE WORKERS
Precautionary vaccination for people aged over 60, healthcare and frontline workers began today, January 10. The Health Ministry confirmed that an estimated 1.05 crore healthcare and 1.9 crore frontline workers, and 2.75 crore people with medical ailments over 60 years in age would be receiving the precautionary dose. The ministry has also said that no prior registration for the precautionary vaccine dose is required and anyone eligibe can simply walk in to a vaccination centre.
#COVID19 | India will start administering the precaution dose of Covid vaccine to healthcare and frontline workers and comorbid people aged 60 and above from today
— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2022
The ministry has also specified that the gap between the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine and the precautionary dose should be at least 9 months and that the precautionary dose will be the same as the Covid-19 vaccine administered. (READ MORE HERE: Can you get a Covid booster dose in India? 5 important guidelines you need to know)
4. NO PM MODI ON VACCINATION CERTIFICATES IN POLL-BOUND STATES
Sources have confirmed to India Today that the Union Health Ministry has added filters to the CoWin platform which will ensure that the name and picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not present on the Covid-19 vaccination certificates being issued in the five-poll bound states. The five-poll bound states are Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. This decision has been made as the election Model Code of Conduct is now in full force in the poll-bound states.
Health Ministry will apply necessary filters on CoWIN platform to exclude picture of prime minister from COVID-19 certificates being given to people in five poll-bound states because of model code of conduct coming into force: Official sources
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 9, 2022
5. UTTAR PRADESH IMPOSES NIGHT CURFEW
The Uttar Pradesh government imposed a night curfew begining on January 9 due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 in the state. The official release said, "In view of the developing situation due to Covid-19, night curfew has been imposed in every district of Uttar Pradesh between 10 pm to 6 am. Physical classes have also been suspended in all educational institutions till January 16. Classes in online mode can continue. However, scheduled examinations can be conducted."
Officials have confirmed that about one-third of active cases in Uttar Pradesh have been found in Gautam Buddh Nagar (i.e. Noida) and Ghaziabad.
6. DELHI CM SAYS NO NEED FOR LOCKDOWN, IF EVERYONE MASKS UP
On January 9, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the state government has 'no immediate plan to impose lockdown' in the national capital if people wear masks. While speaking to reporters, Kejriwal said, "We don't want to impose lockdown, we won't if you wear masks. No intent for lockdown as of now." He also added, "We are in constant touch with the Central government and we are getting full support from the Central government."
Meanwhile in Cyprus, a new variant of Covid-19 has been discovered. Named as 'Deltacron', 25 cases of this variant have been identified in Cyprus so far. Leondios Kostrikis, a professor at the University of Cyprus has been quoted in media reports as saying, "There are currently Omicron and Delta co-infections and we found this strain that is a combination of these two. The discovery was named Deltacron due to the identification of Omicron-like genetic signatures within the Delta genome."
Reports say that it is too early to determine the severity of Deltacron, and will most likely be displaced by the Omicron variant. (Hopefully, we will not see a fourth wave.)