Story Content

On Friday, as per the data updated by the Health Ministry, India has recorded 6,650 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. India's active caseload stands at 77,516 with a dip of 775 such cases in 24 hours. With 7,051 people being recovered from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the total number of people who have recovered from the disease till now has reached to 3,42,15,977, said the health ministry. Along with this the country has recorded 374 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to reach 4,79,133.

The government said over 140.31 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. A total of 66,98,09,816 samples tested up to December 23, of which 11,65,887 were tested on December 23. 

Omicron Update 

On Friday, the health ministry said that as many as 114 patients have so far recovered from the Omicron variant. However, with 88 cases, Maharashtra has reported the highest incidence of the new strain. Followed by Delhi with 64 cases, Telangana with 24, Rajasthan 21, Karnataka 19, Kerala 15 and Gujarat 14 cases. The number of cases of Covid's fast-spreading variant Omicron has crossed the 200-mark in India, said the Union Health Ministry, with Omicron cases in India currently standing at 358.

The Meeting 

PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting days ahead of the Christmas and New Year festive season. He directed the officials that “we should be satark (alert) and saavdhan (attentive)” in view of the new variant. He also directed the authorities to ensure heightened and close monitoring of emerging hotspots through effective surveillance of cases. 

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said, “The fight against the pandemic is not over, he (the Prime Minister) said, and the need for continued adherence to Covid safe behaviour is of paramount importance even today."