Ramp up vaccination: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray as Omicron triggers fear

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in a cabinet meeting directed officials to ramp up vaccination, especially in areas where the proportion of vaccinated persons is low.

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New Delhi: As Omicron variant spreads in Maharashtra with the total tally at 10, the state government on Wednesday (December 8) ordered "speedy vaccination" against COVID-19. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in a cabinet meeting directed officials to ramp up vaccination, especially in areas where the proportion of vaccinated persons in the eligible population is low, an official statement, as per PTI, said. 

As per the statement, around 12,03,18,240 vaccine doses have been administered in the state so far. As many as 4,37,46,512 people have been fully vaccinated while 7,65,71,728 have received at least one jab. 

"Noting the rise in cases in countries like South Africa, France, Germany, Austria and the US, chief minister Thackeray stressed the need for taking precautions and strictly following health-related rules", the statement added. 

Earlier, with two more cases of Omicron variant being detected in Maharashtra`s Mumbai, the total tally had reached 10 in the state. While the total number of Omicron cases reported in India rose to 23.

Meanwhile, 12 people out of 318 people who returned from foreign countries to Maharashtra recently have become untraceable. "318 people returned from the foreign countries recently in Thane`s Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation area. 12 people are untraceable. A search operation is on to locate them," KDMC chief Vijay Sooryavanshi informed. 

The World Health Organization on Wednesday said the Omicron variant has reached 57 nations and warned that the number of patients needing hospitalisation is likely to rise as the strain spreads. On November 26, the WHO classified the Omicron variant, first detected in southern Africa, as a 'variant of concern'. 

(With agency inputs)