One more Omicron case detected in Kerala`s Kannur, total number of infected people stood at 38

The Kannur native was in the primary contact list of a COVID-infected student in his neighbourhood, and his infection was confirmed in a genetic sequencing test carried out as part of the sentinel surveillance, said Kerala`s health department.

Thiruvananthapuram: One more case of Omicron was detected in Kerala on Saturday, taking the total number of infected people to 38. A 51-year-old Kannur native has been detected with the new variant, according to the State Health Department.

The Kannur native was in the primary contact list of a COVID-infected student in his neighbourhood, and his infection was confirmed in a genetic sequencing test carried out as part of the sentinel surveillance, the health department said.

Kerala's Health Minister Veena George said that the state has reported one more case of Omicron from the Kannur district, taking the total tally of the state to 38.

Kerala reported 2,404 new cases, 11 deaths, and 3,377 recoveries on Saturday. Of these, active cases were at 24,501 and the death tally stood at 46,318.

As many as 104 deaths were added to the death tally as per the new guidelines of the Central government, said Kerala govt in an official statement

Meanwhile, an Omicron positive patient in the Malappuram district was discharged from the hospital today after 12 days of treatment. The first Omicron positive patient in the state was discharged from hospital on Friday.

Kerala detected its first case on December 12 in Ernakulam district when a person who had returned from the UK tested positive. 

Daily recoveries outnumber new COVID-19 cases 

The state today clocked 2,407 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the total caseload to 52.21 lakh. However, 3,377 people recuperated from the deadly disease during the same period, taking the total number of those cured in the southern state to 51,61,800. 

Kerala's health department said 115 deaths were recorded which raised the toll to 46,318. Of the 115 deaths, 11 were recorded over the last few days and 104 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court. 

Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest number--505, followed by Ernakulam 424 and Kozhikode 227 cases in the state, which tested 44,754 samples in the last 24 hours and there are six wards across five local self-government bodies with a weekly infection population ratio above 10 per cent. 

There are 1,24,904 people under the observation of which 3,858 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.

According to the state Health Department, "Currently there are 24,501 active COVID-19 cases in the state out of which only 9.3 per cent are admitted to various hospitals in the state."

7,189 new COVID-19 cases in India

India`s total Covid-19 caseload increased to 3,47,79,815 on Saturday after 7,189 fresh cases, of which 415 were of the Omicron variant, were reported in the past 24 hours, said the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As many as 387 Covid-19 deaths and 7,286 recoveries increased the respective overall tallies to 4,79,520 and 3,42,23,263, while the daily active cases have declined to 484.

As far as the Omicron variant is concerned, Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with 108, followed by Delhi with 79, Gujarat 43, Telangana 38, Kerala 37 and Tamil Nadu 34.

The Centre has deployed multi-disciplinary teams to 10 states which are reporting an increase in the number of infections or slow vaccination pace.

These teams will be deployed in Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Mizoram, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Punjab and for three to five days working with the state health authorities, said the notice.

(With Agency Inputs)