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In view of the concern surrounding Omicron variant, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday, 7 December pushed the administration to announce "additional" COVID vaccine doses for healthcare, frontline workers, and immunocompromised individuals, PTI reported.
Saying that it is scientifically evident that the Omicron cases will increase, the agency stated, "If we do not take adequate measures, we may have a massive third wave."
On Monday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had stated that 85 percent of India's eligible adult population had been administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, as per data on Tuesday morning, India reported its lowest single-day rise in cases in 558 days with 6,822 new infections on Monday.
Two more cases of Omicron variant were reported in Mumbai on the evening of Sunday, 6 December, taking Maharashtra's tally to 10.
India's tally of Omicron currently stands at 23.
Nine people tested positive for Omicron in Rajasthan on Sunday.
Seven new cases of Omicron were reported from Maharashtra.
Delhi reported its first case in a 37-year-old man who had returned from Tanzania.
India's first two cases were reported from Karnataka.
Two persons who returned Madhya Pradesh from the United Kingdom and Canada, respectively, have tested positive for COVID-19, reported ANI, citing Bhopal District Administration.
Their samples were sent for genome sequencing, the administration reportedly added.
Kerala reports 4,656 new cases, 28 deaths, and 5,180 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Active cases in the state stand at 40,072.
Delhi, on Tuesday evening, reported 51 new cases, 19 recoveries and 0 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total cases 14,41,449
Total recoveries 14,15,974
Death toll 25,099
Active cases 376
United Kingdom Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said that the UK will not impose stricter domestic COVID-19 restrictions ahead of Christmas, as their immunisation programme has been a success, Reuters reported.
The World Health Organisation has advised against blood plasma treatment in cases of mild or moderate illness due to COVID-19.
The Health agency, in an article published in the British Medical Journal observed, "Current evidence shows that it does not improve survival nor reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, and it is costly and time-consuming to administer."
Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray, in a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, has urged the central government to clear booster shots for frontline workers, health workers among others and start inoculating every either 15 years of age or older.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday, 7 December pushed the administration to announce "additional" COVID vaccine doses for healthcare, frontline workers, and immunocompromised individuals, PTI reported.
Taking note of the Omicron cases in the country's major cities, the agency said that it is scientifically evident that the Omicron cases will spread further and observed, "At a time when India is limping back to normalcy, this is a great setback. If we do not take adequate measures, we may have a massive third wave."
Further, it urged the government to take a decision on vaccinating children swiftly.
A 46-year-old man, who was one of the two earliest cases of the Omicron variant in the country, was still positive for the virus, a senior official said on Tuesday, 7 December.
His last test was conducted seven days ago. As per the official, the 46-year-old doctor will be kept under observation for another seven days and be discharged only after a negative RT-PCR test.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday, 6 December took to Twitter and said that 85 percent of India's eligible adult population had been administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
As per Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data, India recorded 6,822 new COVID-19 cases, which is the lowest in 558 days, and 220 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Active caseload presently stands at 95,014, the lowest in 554 days.
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