Sharp Uptick In Covid Cases, Over 10,000 Fresh Infections Recorded: Govt Calls For Heightened Vigil

There are 961 cases of Omicron in the country so far out of which 320 patients have recovered.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Covid-19 surge, India on Thursday reported over 10,00 fresh infections after 33 days, Union Health Ministry said adding that there is a strict need for heightened vigil among the people of the country.

Addressing a press conference, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Luv Aggarwal said that India has reported more than 8,000 cases per day last week. Overall case positivity rate stands at 0.92 per cent, he said adding that from December 26 onwards, the country has been reporting 10,000 daily cases.

India's active caseload currently stands at 82,402

More than 8,000 average daily new cases recorded in last one week

More than 10,000 daily cases recorded after 33 days

- @MoHFW_INDIA
#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/lkw9BCqBd3

— PIB India (@PIB_India) December 30, 2021

Aggarwal also pointed out that the weekly positivity rate is over 10 per cent in eight districts while it is 5-10 per cent in 14 districts.

"The weekly positivity rate of more than 10% is being noted in 8 districts including 6 districts from Mizoram, one from Arunachal Pradesh, Kolkata in West Bengal," Aggarwal said. 

Analysis of active cases shows that

✅Kerala and Maharashtra have more than 10,000 active cases

✅In three states, the number of active cases is between 5,000-10,000

✅In 31 states, the number of active cases is less than 5,000

- @MoHFW_INDIA #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/1aAUTZT05C

— PIB India (@PIB_India) December 30, 2021

Additionally, there are 961 cases of Omicron in the country so far out of which 320 patients have recovered. India's active Covid caseload currently stands at 82,402.

More than 3 lakh #Omicron cases and 59 deaths have been reported in 121 countries in just one month.

South Africa, UK, USA, and France are the countries with high presence of #OmicronVariant

- @MoHFW_INDIA #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/kEcIcCOXIR

— PIB India (@PIB_India) December 30, 2021

While speaking about preventive measures in the press conference, ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava said that use of masks before and after vaccination is a must and mass gatherings should be avoided. 

The treatment guidelines for the earlier and the currently circulating strains of coronavirus remain the same, Bhargava said adding that home isolation remains an important pillar.

Bhargava also pointed out that all Covid vaccines, whether they are from India, Israel, US, Europe, UK or China, are primarily disease-modifying. 

"They don't prevent infection. The precautionary dose is primarily to mitigate the severity of infection, hospitalisation and death," he added.

While speaking about the violation of Covid rules during political rallies, Niti Aayog Member (Health) Dr. VK Paul says, "It is in the domain of the Election Commission and it is not the right forum to take up this issue."