PM Narendra Modi to review COVID-19 situation today amid alarming rise in new cases

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting to review the developing COVID-19 situations in the country at 4: 30 pm on Sunday (January 9), ANI reported quoting government sources.

The review meeting, which is expected to be attended by top health experts, comes as India witnessed a massive spike in daily COVID-19 cases triggered by the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

India on Sunday reported 1,59,632 new COVID-19 cases, 327 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the total death toll to 4,83,790, as per data released by the Ministry of Health on Sunday (January 9, 2022). The active cases stand at 5,90,611.

An increase of 1,18,442 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The country also recorded 40,863 recoveries today, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,44,53,603.

About the Omicron surge, India in the last 24 hours reported 552 fresh Omicron infections, taking the total tally of such cases in the country to 3,623, according to the Union Health Ministry data. At least 1,409 have recovered,

Meanwhile, as the country sets foot in a potential third wave of the pandemic, the Election Commission has announced a schedule for the upcoming Assembly Elections. The polls will be held in 7 phases from Feb 10 to March 7.

In view of the rising virus cases, the poll body has put a ban on physical rallies, roadshows and procession till January 15.