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As COVID-19 cases in the country show an exponential surge, India on Sunday, 9 January, recorded 1,59,632 new COVID-19 cases, 40,863 recoveries, and 327 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, a red alert has been issued in the Supreme Court, after two more judges tested positive for the virus on Saturday, taking the positivity rate to 12 percent in the apex court.
Further, India has confirmed 3,623 cases of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant from 27 states and Union Territories so far. The number of persons recovered is 1,409.
While Maharashtra tops the chart with 876 Omicron cases, Delhi has recorded 513 cases of the variant so far
The active COVID-19 cases in India stand at 5,90,611 while the positivity rate is 10.21 percent
India has administered a total of 151.58 crore vaccine doses so far.
Mumbai recorded 19,474 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, 9 January. 1,240 were hospitalised, of which 118 needed oxygen support. As per data provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, 7 deaths were reported.
Delhi on Sunday, 9 January, reported 22,751 cases of COVID-19. 10,179 recoveries, and 17 deaths were registered.
As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the country, Kerala on Sunday saw 6238 new cases of the virus. 30 deaths and 2390 recoveries were reported.
Karnataka on Sunday, 9 January reported 12,000 daily cases of COVID-19. With this, the total tally of the state has reached 49,602 cases. The positivity rate in the state is 6.33 percent.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on Sunday, 9 January to review the pandemic situation.
Home Minister Amit Shah,Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and other top officials were present.
Amid a surge in Omicron cases, the Tripura government has imposed a night curfew in the state starting 10 January. Fresh curbs have also been introduced as part of which, movie halls, sports complexes, entertainment parks and bars will operate at a 50 percent capacity.
Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju has tested positive for COVID-19, ANI reported.
In view of the rising COVID-19 cases, Rajya Sabha Secretariat has restricted staff attendance.
As per new directions, 50 percent of officials and staff below the rank of under secretary/executive officer are required to work from home till the end of this month.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu reviewed the situation and directed that necessary measures be taken to contain the spread of the virus among the Secretariat officials and staff ahead of the Budget session which is to begin towards the end of January.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned the residents of Delhi to strictly observe COVID-appropriate behavior in light of a surge in infections across the national capital.
Stating that there is "no intent for a lockdown as of now" Kejriwal said, "We don't want to impose lockdown, we won't if you wear masks."
He added, "COVID cases are rapidly rising. About 22,000 cases are expected in Sunday's health bulletin. Increasing cases are concerning but we need not be scared. I am saying so after analysing (comparing) data from the last wave."
A total of 62 workers out of 500 workers who attended a workshop in the Maharashtra's Mahalaxmi area were reported COVID-19 positive yesterday, Western Railway PRO told ANI.
Ahead of the budget session, over 400 Parliament staff tested positive for COVID-19, as per official sources.
The officials told ANI that 402 staff members were tested positive out of 1,409 staff of Parliament for the virus from 4 to 8 January after which the samples were sent for genome sequencing to confirm the variant.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Saturday granted special permission for devotees to visit gurdwaras in the city on the occasion of Prakash Purab of Guru Govind Singh on Sunday, 9 January.
The city authorities had earlier barred people from visiting religious places, though the religious places have been allowed to remain open in Delhi.
The Union Health Ministry informed on Sunday that more than 155.95 crore vaccine doses have been "provided to States/UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. Over 17.74 crore balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with States/UTs to be administered."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has tested negative for COVID-19. He shared the news on Twitter and said, "After recovering from coronavirus, I am back at your service."
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.
Sharing the news, Gandhi said in a tweet, "After being in Pilibhit for 3 days, I have tested positive for COVID with fairly strong symptoms."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will address a press conference on Sunday at 12 noon.
Dr Ishwar Singh from Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak told ANI, "Till now, around 50 doctors have tested positive for COVID-19. In view of that, we've decided to put some restrictions including closing OPD service from Monday. We are advising chronic patients to take prescriptions online only".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the country at 4:30 pm on Sunday, as per government sources cited by news agency ANI.
Mizoram reported 903 new cases on Saturday. Active caseload stands at 4,367.
Odisha reported 4,714 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, highest since 12 June, the state Health Department informed. The positivity rate is at 6.72 percent/
A red alert has been issued in the Supreme Court, after two more judges tested positive for the virus on Saturday, taking the positivity rate to 12 percent.
A red alert is declared when the positivity rate remains above 5 percent for two consecutive days, under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
In the apex court, the positivity rate among judges has remained above 5 percent for 3 days straight and crossed 12 percent on Saturday, after a judge with fever interacted with other judges at the farewell high tea party for Justice RS Reddy on 4 January, and is suspected to have infected his bench colleague and two other judges, Times of India reported.
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