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India reported 1,41,986 Covid cases on Saturday with 285 deaths in the last 24 hours till 8:00 am, according to Health Ministry data. The cases have increased by 21.25 per cent over the previous day’s infections of 1,17,100.
The country’s active caseload was at 4,72,169, constituting 1.34 per cent of the country's total positive cases. The weekly positivity rate in the country stood at 5.66 per cent and the daily positivity rate expanded to 9.28 per cent.
The Omicron tally in the country stood at 3,071, with Maharashtra at 876, followed by Delhi at 513, Karnataka at 333 and Rajasthan at 291, according to the Health Ministry.
The country conducted 15.29 lakh tests during the previous day, aggregating to 68.84 crore tests done so far.
Delhi reported 20,181 Covid cases on Saturday with 7 deaths. The cases are higher than the previous day's infections of 17,335. Positivity rate in the capital increased to 19.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, the test positivity rate crossed 10 per cent with the city recording 7,113 cases on Saturday. "Bengaluru continues to be the epicenter of Covid in Karnataka with 79 per cent of the cases," Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said.
Delhi Health Minister, Satyendra Jain, said that at present only 10 per cent of the hospital beds in the city are occupied. There were 17,335 Covid cases in Delhi on Friday.
Also, Health Minister Mansukh Manadivye said, over 2 crore youngsters in the 15-18 age group have received the first dose of the Covid vaccine in less than a week of the vaccination drive.
Maharashtra reports 41,434 new cases
Maharashtra reported 41,434 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the total number of active cases to 1,73,238.
Mumbai reported 20,318 new cases. Even on Friday, the city had reported over 20,000 cases.
While 9,671 patients were discharged on Saturday, Maharashtra reported 13 Covid-19 related deaths. The case fatality rate in the State is 2.05 per cent.
Currently 8,45,089 people are in home quarantine and 1851 people are in institutional quarantine.
On Saturday, 133 patients with Omicron infection were reported in the State. Of these, 130 have been reported by the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research and three have been reported from Gujarat. Till date, a total of 1,009 patients infected with Omicron variant have been reported in the State. Out of these, 439 cases have been discharged following a negative RT PCR test.
Mumbai city has 1,06,037 active Covid-19 patients. On Saturday Mumbai circle, including Mumbai city, reported 33,134 new Covid-19 patients. Pune circle, including Pune city, reported 4,749 patients, which included 2,804 patients in Pune.
Bengal reports nearly 19,000 new cases
West Bengal registered 18,802 new Covid-19 cases on January 8 and the positivity rate stood at 29.60 per cent. The total Covid-19 cases was at 17,30,759 as on Saturday.
The state government announced certain relaxations in restrictions on Saturday. It allowed salons and parlours to operate with 50 per cent seating capacity up to 10 PM.
According to the state health bulletin, the percentage of occupancy in Covid beds stood at 4.93 per cent. The discharge rate was 95.27 per cent and fatality rate was 1.15 per cent.
Kolkata accounted for 7,337 cases out of 18,802 Covid cases. North 24 Parganas registered 3,286 cases, while Howrah recorded 1,483 new cases on January 8.
It is to be noted that the Calcutta High Court had, on Friday, allowed the Gangasagar Mela, which begins on January 8, strictly following the Covid-19 restrictions. It has also ordered setting up of a committee which may recommend to the State a ban on entry to Sagar Island if there is any violation of health safety norms.
The high court has further directed the forming of a three-member committee to oversee restrictions imposed by the state government are adhered to since apprehensions have been expressed by the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum that measures suggested by it in an affidavit are merely “paper suggestions” and will not be implemented in practice.
The Mela attracts a large number of pilgrims who arrive at the island at the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal to take a holy dip. The footfalls reach close to 18 lakh.
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