India's Omicron wave may intensify in coming weeks—experts | Inquirer News

India’s Omicron wave may intensify in coming weeks—experts

/ 04:20 PM January 24, 2022

India's Omicron wave may intensify in coming weeks—experts

Students attend class in a school after they reopened amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Mumbai, India, January 24, 2022. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

NEW DELHI — India’s COVID-19 infections, led by the Omicron variant, may see a sharp rise in the coming weeks, some top experts said, noting that the variant was already in community transmission and hospitals were seeing more patients despite a decline in cases in major cities.

India reported 306,064 new infections over the last 24 hours, the health ministry said, about an 8% decline from the average daily cases reported in the last four days. Deaths were 439, the lowest in five days.

Article continues after this advertisement

But weekly positivity rates have risen to 17.03% in the week to Jan. 24, from about 0.63% Dec. 27, led by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

FEATURED STORIES

“Omicron is now in community transmission in India and has become dominant in multiple metros,” a report by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) said on Jan. 10 in a report released on Sunday.

Most cases of the Omicron variant have been mild, the advisory group said, although hospitalizations and cases in intensive care were increasing.

Article continues after this advertisement

In last two weeks major cities such as the capital, Delhi, and financial hub Mumbai in the wealthiest state of Maharashtra, have been reporting big falls in cases after hitting peaks.

Article continues after this advertisement

That might change, Maharashtra government adviser Dr. Subhash Salunke said, as the variant is spreading to semi-urban and rural areas. The state expects to see multiple peaks in the next eight to 10 weeks, he said.

Article continues after this advertisement

“The number of cases in cities like Mumbai and Pune are the tip of the iceberg,” Salunke told Reuters, adding that the deadly Delta variant from the previous wave was also circulating.

India’s tally of overall infections reached 39.54 million, the second-highest globally behind the United States. The country has seen 489,848 people die of the virus.

RELATED STORIES

India launches drive to vaccinate children before a feared Omicron surge

Omicron cases mount in India, leading to fears of a third COVID-19 wave

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.

TAGS: COVID-19, Health, India

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.