Covid: Omicron has started replacing Delta variant in India, says report

Omicron has begun to replace the Delta variant in the country in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases, and positive international travelers are now nearly 80 percent Omicron, official sources said Friday.

However, a third of all detected cases were mildly symptomatic and the rest were asymptomatic, they said.

According to Department of Health data updated Friday, a total of 1,270 Omicron cases have been detected in 23 states and UTs.

The Center noted a significant decline in Covid testing and on Thursday urged 19 states/UTs to ramp up "large scale" testing to quickly identify positive cases and limit the spread of transmission in view of increased transmissibility. of the Omicron variant, and the greater predominance of asymptomatic cases.

Since the first two cases of the Omicron variant were announced in the country on Dec. 2, the Ministry of Health has been operating in a mission mode, continuously guiding states on the measures to be taken to contain the spread of the infection.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also holds regular meetings to assess the status of COVID-19, Omicron and the preparedness of health systems across the country, while Union Health Minister Manuskh Mandaviya discusses the current situation with expert teams and senior officials on a daily basis.

He also maintains updates on drug and ventilator buffer stocks and oxygen availability.

The ministry has advised states and UTs to improve testing, strengthen hospital preparedness, increase the pace and coverage of the vaccination campaign, and ensure strict enforcement of restrictions to curb the spread of infection where necessary.

It also recommended establishing containment zones and buffer zones according to the existing SOPS, strengthening hospital-level preparedness and ensuring optimal use of financial resources under ECRP-2.

Ninety percent of India's eligible adult population has received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 64.40 percent of people are now fully vaccinated.

Highlighting vaccination coverage in other countries with the most cases and deaths, sources said the data shows that vaccination reduces hospitalizations and deaths.