Coronavirus Live Updates: The World Health Organization warned on Wednesday that a “tsunami” of Omicron and Delta COVID-19 cases will pile up pressure on health systems already stretched to their limits. Dr Guleria urged not to panic, and not to store oxygen cylinders.
The WHO said the variants of Delta and Omicron concern were the “twin threat” that was driving new case numbers to record highs, leading to an increase in hospitalizations and deaths.
The WHO said last week there was an 11 percent increase in new global cases, while the United States and France both reported record daily cases on Wednesday.
“I am highly concerned that Omicron, being more permeable, is moving around at the same time as the delta, causing a tsunami of cases,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference.
Meanwhile, in India, Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat on Wednesday recorded a major spike in fresh COVID-19 cases – their highest since the May-June period – while Punjab reported the first cases of the Omicron version. Reported to take a country-wide tally of New tension above 900.
According to data from the Center and states, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has crossed 10,000 after a little more than a month. On 26 November, the total reported was 10,549.
With Punjab reporting its first omicron case after a 36-year-old man from Spain tested positive for the new variant earlier this month, the number of states and union territories where this highly infectious strain has been detected is increased to 22.
The updated official data available overnight showed that the Omicron tally was close to 950 with Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana reporting the majority of fresh cases. The state health department said that in Maharashtra, 85 more people were infected with the new strain, taking the total to 252.
India has so far reported 781 cases of the omicron variant in 21 states and union territories, of which 241 people have been cured or migrated, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data updated at 8 am. According to official data from the Center and states, Maharashtra is followed by Delhi (238), Gujarat (97), Rajasthan (69), Kerala (65) and Telangana (62), which have more than 50 omicron cases.