The Central government's coronavirus task force head V.K. Paul said India could witness 14 lakh cases of COVID-19 a day if Omicron variant surge is not slowed. "If we look at the scale of spread in the UK, and if there is a similar outbreak in India, then given our population, there will be 14 lakh cases every day. France is reporting 65,000 cases. If an outbreak of a similar scale takes place in India, then given our population it will mean 13 lakh cases every day," Paul said, reported NDTV, adding that it was time to time to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings.
India's Omicron COVID count crossed the 100 mark on Friday after recording the highest single day rise of 24 fresh cases of the new variant, even as the Centre advised people to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings and keep New Year celebrations at low intensity. As the Omicron tally from 11 states and union territories stood at 111 exactly 15 days after the first case of the potentially more contagious COVID variant was detected in Karnataka, 20 new cases were reported from Maharashtra(8) and Delhi(12) to take their total to 40 and 22 respectively. Telangana and Kerala recorded two more cases each to take their tally to eight and seven respectively.
According to Central and state officials, Maharashtra has reported 40 cases, Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17), Karnataka (8), Telangana (8), Gujarat (5), Kerala (7), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1). While the country's first two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in Karnataka on December 2, this heavily mutated version of the coronavirus was first reported in South Africa on November 24.
At a press conference in Delhi, Paul said a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic is being experienced in Europe with a steep rise in cases despite 80 per cent partial vaccination being done and delta wave being experienced. "Situation overall is stable but in some districts the positivity rate is increasing and if needed restrictive measures should be implemented. There should be proper contact tracing and clusters should be monitored carefully and containment measures should be implemented. Clusters should be investigated to see if the new variant is driving the rise in cases there," he added.
-Inputs from PTI
