Omicron spreading fast with 2.64 lakh new Covid-19 infections in a day

Covid-19 cases in the country are increasing at a rapid pace as India recorded 2,64,202 new cases in the last 24 hours, 17,000 cases more than the previous day. Total active cases in the country increased to 12.72 lakh cases from over 11.17 lakh active patients a day ago.

Daily positivity rate also increased to 14.78% from 13.11% a day ago and weekly positivity rate is now at 11.83%. From 84,825 recoveries reported a day ago, 1,09,345 patients recovered in the last 24 hours. Omicron cases have also increased to 5,753, an increase of 4.83% since yesterday.

Highest number of new cases were recorded in Karnataka (22,634), followed by West Bengal (15,302), Tamil Nadu (14,651) and Uttar Pradesh (13,667), Maharashtra (11,712) and Kerala (10,099). States like Odisha (8,609), Rajasthan (7,117), Gujarat (6,886), Delhi (6,715), Haryana (4,829), Punjab (3,603) and Madhya Pradesh (3,246) are also witnessing high number of infections.

Total vaccination doses given in the country now stands at 155 crore, including 73.08 lakh doses given in the last 24 hours.

Globally, over 32 crore people are now infected with the pandemic and it is spreading fast, especially in the U.S. and Europe. About 8.6 lakh people in the U.S. were infected yesterday and the weekly average was about 7.83 lakhs infections.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had said more than 70 lakh new cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 spread across Europe in the first week of January, more than double in just two weeks and has warned half of Europe will be infected within weeks.