Omicron Updates: India Seeing 80% Decline in Covid Cases After Peak on Jan 21, 4 States Reporting Over 50,000 Active Infections

British Covid vaccine maker AstraZeneca on Thursday warned that coronavirus product sales and profit margins would drop this year as the pandemic recedes. AstraZeneca rapidly developed a successful Covid-19 jab during the pandemic that generated full-year sales of almost $4.0 billion (3.5 billion euros) last year, the company said in a results statement.

The Centre on Thursday revised guidelines for international arrivals, removing demarcation of ‘at-risk’ countries, which were specified during the onset of the Omicron variant, and recommended self-monitoring for 14 days as opposed to the current 7-day home quarantine rule. The new guidelines will come into effect from February 14, the Union Health Ministry said. READ MORE

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said the state government has eased COVID-19 restrictions in the recent past, but people should continue to wear face mask and follow other precautionary measures. Talking to reporters in Kolhapur, Tope also said there was no need to impose more curbs in the coming days. Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 7,142 new coronavirus positive cases, 1,035 more than the day before, while the death toll rose by 92 to reach 1,43,247. Amid a significant drop in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, city Mayor Kishori Pednekar had on Tuesday hinted that the state capital will be unlocked by the end of this month and underlined the need for resumption of all activities. Tope on Thursday said, “The Maharashtra government has introduced many relaxations in last some weeks and it will introduce more in coming days. However, it does not mean that people need not wear mask in the coming days.”

The health ministry on Thursday said that there has been a reduction of 80 percent of current daily cases after the country witnessed a peak of infections last month. The ministry also said that four states in the country is reporting more than 50,000 active cases. “Four states – Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka – have more than 50,000 active cases of Covid-19. 11 states have active cases between 10,000 and 50,000,” Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry said during a weekly press briefing today. The health ministry also said that 11 states and Union Territories in the country are reporting between 10,000 to 50,000 active cases while 21 states and UTs are less than 10,000 active cases.

The central government has revised guidelines for international arrivals and the revised rules will come in effect from February 14, 2022. According to the revised guidelines, besides uploading negative RT-PCR report (taken 72 hours prior to journey), option to upload certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of Covid-19 vaccination provided from countries on a reciprocal basis. The demarcation of countries ‘at-risk’ have also been removed.

Four states – Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka – have more than 50,000 active cases of Covid-19. 11 states have active cases between 10,000 and 50,000: Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry

11 states in the country is are reporting between 10,000 and 50,000 active cases, the government said.

The Health Ministry on Thursday said that four states Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are reporting high active Covid cases in the country.

Jharkhand on Thursday logged 318 fresh COVID-19 cases, 54 more than the previous day, taking the state’s caseload to 4,32,487, a health bulletin said. With no fresh mortality reported from any part of the state, the COVID-19 death toll remained at 5,314, it said. The state had recorded 264 COVID-19 cases and one death on Wednesday. Jharkhand now has 2,227 active COVID-19 cases, while 4,24,946 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 363 on Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appreciated the feat achieved by an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) who administered over 1 lakh doses of the COVID-19 vaccine without taking a single day off in the last one year, an official said on Thursday. In a message on Wednesday, the chief minister praised ANM Maya Ahirwar for her dedication. Maya has set an example of obedience in performing her duties by not taking a single day off to administer over 1 lakh doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in a year from January 16, 2021 to February 7, 2022, Chouhan said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appreciated the feat achieved by an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) who administered over 1 lakh doses of the COVID-19 vaccine without taking a single day off in the last one year, an official said on Thursday. In a message on Wednesday, the chief minister praised ANM Maya Ahirwar for her dedication.

The Centre on Thursday said Rs 6.15 crore has been approved as financial assistance to families of 123 journalists who died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Replying to supplementary questions in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan also said it was the responsibility of the state governments to take appropriate action against online harassment of women journalists. On the number of journalists who died during the pandemic, he said, “We are very much concerned about the journalists’ welfare. During the pandemic, we conducted a special drive for journalists. Those who lost lives, we want to support their families. We received 123 journalists’ proposals. All 123 proposals are accepted and we released Rs 6.15 crore amount to the concerned families.

Jharkhand on Thursday logged 318 fresh COVID-19 cases, 54 more than the previous day, taking the state’s caseload to 4,32,487, a health bulletin said. With no fresh mortality reported from any part of the state, the COVID-19 death toll remained at 5,314, it said.

“Besides uploading negative RT-PCR report (taken 72 hrs prior to journey), option to upload certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of COVID-19 vaccination provided from countries on a reciprocal basis,” the guidelines said. Check list.

Ninety more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, pushing the virus tally to 63,814, a senior health official said here on Thursday. The COVID-19 death toll in the northeastern state rose to 293 after a person succumbed to the infection, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

The Meghalaya government has relaxed the Covid-19 restrictions owing to the reduction of new cases in the State. Now, double vaccinated individuals will not require RT-PCR tests before entering the State, said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday. READ MORE

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organizing Committee said on Thursday that a total of 9 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on February 9. Six of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website. Three others were among those already in the “closed loop” bubble that separates all event personnel from the public, and all three were classified as either an athlete or team official, the notice said.

With the addition of 282 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra’s Thane district has gone up to 7,06,461, while eight more fatalities pushed the death toll to 11,838, an official said on Thursday. These new cases and deaths were reported on Wednesday, he said.