New Delhi: Omicron is ‘furious around the world’ with India reporting its 150th case of the new COVID-19 variant on Sunday (December 19, 2021). After the addition of ten more infections in Maharashtra and Gujarat, the country’s omicron count has now increased to 153.
While six persons tested positive for the highly mutated version of the coronavirus MaharashtraFour infected were found in Gujarat.
India has so far detected omicron cases in 11 states and union territories i.e. Maharashtra (54). Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17) and Karnataka (14), Telangana (20), Gujarat (11), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1)
The country’s first two cases were detected in Karnataka on December 2.
Omicron has spread to 89 countries
Omicron was first reported in South Africa on 24 November and was classified as a ‘type of concern’ by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 26 November. This variant, which is currently wreaking havoc in the United States and several European countries, has so far been detected in 89 countries.
By 16 December 2021, #COVID-19 Variant omicron has been identified in 89 countries in all six WHO regions https://t.co/tOu6iIvFZP pic.twitter.com/YmKVTOqELX
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 19, 2021
WHO said on Saturday that Omicron cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission and noted that much is unknown about the type, including the severity of the disease it causes.
Lockdown in many countries, other restrictions
In an effort to control the spread, the Netherlands has already gone into lockdown on Sunday, while several other European governments are considering additional restrictions.
In the United States, medical advisor to the White House Dr. Anthony Fauci The U.S. has urged people traveling to get booster shots from their loved ones and to always wear masks in crowded public places.
He said Omicron was ‘raging around the world’ and that traveling would increase the risk of infection even among vaccinated people.
Read also | From runny nose to itchy throat and headache, check the symptoms of Omicron
In the UK, the health minister, Sajid Javid, ruled out the possibility that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government would impose further restrictions before Christmas. He said the government was taking “serious” advice from its scientists seriously Looking closely at the data, and will balance the two against the wider impact of sanctions on sectors such as businesses and education.
Overall COVID-19 infections on the rise again
According to reports, overall COVID-19 infections are rising in 64 countries and territories, 12 of which have reported more cases than at any point during the pandemic, including the United Kingdom.
The world has seen so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University Over 27 crore COVID-19 infections and over 53 lakh related deaths.
The development comes as disease experts around the world predict that countries will begin to emerge from the pandemic next year after going through a series of surges driven by alpha, beta, gamma and delta variants of COVID-19. However, the rapid spread of the Omicron version has now dented that hope.
Meanwhile, some experts have said that living with COVID-19 in 2022 will likely mean assessing local risks and protecting yourself through vaccination, masking and social distancing.
Read also | COVID-19 may be endemic by 2024, predicts Pfizer amid Omicron fears
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