Coronavirus cases appear to be spiking across the country with cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata reporting soaring daily cases.
India reported 58,097 new cases on Wednesday, 5 January, significantly higher than the 37,379 cases reported on Tuesday.
While Mumbai reported 15,166 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, Delhi reported a 94 percent increase from Tuesday’s cases with 10,665 cases and 8 deaths reported today.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had earlier said on Wednesday, that the third wave of COVID-19 has set in in the national capital, and had announced that Delhi might record over 10,000 cases of infections.
Meanwhile, Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said, “Omicron is the predominant circulating strain in the cities in the country, mass gatherings to be avoided to lower the speed of this spread."
Delhi: Positivity Rate at 11.8 Percent
The number of new COVID cases reported in the national capital went up from 5481 to 10,665 cases within the last 24 hours, in the biggest single-day spike since 12 May, taking the positivity rate to 11.88 percent.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said: "Nearly two percent of beds are occupied in the government hospitals”. He also added that 40 percent beds in private hospitals have been reserved to handle the third wave.
Further, the Delhi government has ordered to increase COVID beds in its nine hospitals to 4,350 from the existing 3,316.
A weekend curfew has also been imposed and government offices have been asked to work from home in order to control the surge.
As per the latest restrictions, while private offices can only function at 50 percent capacity, buses and the Delhi metro can operate at full capacity in order to avoid overcrowding at bus stops or stations.
The Delhi government also directed to cancel all leaves granted, except medical leave, to all officers, officials and staff in all departments of the state government.
Further, state government employees will not be allowed to leave station and only medical leave will be granted, the government said.
Mumbai: 1,218 Hospitalisations Reported
Maharashtra reported 26,538 new COVID cases on Wednesday, out of which Mumbai reported 15,166 new cases, a 39 percent jump from Tuesday's 10,860 reported cases.
Though 87 percent of the new cases in Mumbai are asymptomatic, there has been an increase in hospitalisations, with 1,218 COVID patients hospitalised on Wednesday. Out of those hospitalised, 80 patients are on oxygen support.
Out of the eight deaths reported in the state in the last 24-hours, three were from Mumbai. The active cases currently stand at 61,923.
Meanwhile, state's Omicron case tally is at 797 including 330 recoveries.
Mumbai has also brought in curbs such as closing down beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, parks and other public places from 5 pm to 5 am till 15 January, in an attempt to check the surge.
Meanwhile, the positivity rate in West Bengal has increased to 23.17 percent, with the state reporting a total of 14,022 cases, 17 deaths and 6,438 recoveries on Wednesday, with 6,170 cases in Kolkata alone.
India began vaccinating children in the 15-18 age group since 3 January, and has vaccinated over 1 crore children with the first vaccine dose. Meanwhile, NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul announced on Wednesday, that the precautionary COVID-19 vaccine dose slated to be rolled out from 10 January for healthcare workers, frontline workers, and people above the age of 60 with comorbidities, will be the same vaccine as has been given previously.
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