COVID: Weekend Curfew in Delhi, Karnataka; Mumbai Airport to Test Int'l Arrivals
1,892 cases of Omicron have been detected across 23 states and Union territories in India so far.
India reported 37,379 new cases and 124 deaths on Tuesday, 4 January.
(Photo: The Quint/Kamran Akhter)
As COVID-19 cases in India continue to rise, two states - Karnataka and Delhi, have imposed a weekend curfew, as India reported 37,379 new cases and 124 deaths on Tuesday, 4 January.
Meanwhile, all international passengers will be asked to take the rapid RT PCR test at the Mumbai International Airport, as per the latest guidelines announced by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. If negative, they will be allowed to leave and asked to stay under a seven-day home quarantine. Those found positive will have to undergo institutional quarantine.
A total of 1,892 cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union territories in India so far. While Maharashtra tops the chart with 568 Omicron cases, Delhi comes second with 382 cases.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has tested positive for COVID-19 and has said that he's experiencing mild symptoms.
India, on Monday, began vaccinations for children aged 15-18, and inoculated over 40 lakh children.
A weekend curfew has been imposed in Delhi, the state government announced on Tuesday.
The Karnataka government also announced a weekend curfew in the state from Friday, 7 January.
As many as 66 people have tested positive for COVID-19 on a Mumbai-Goa cruise ship with more than 2,000 people on board.
Goa, which became a popular tourist destination in December, reported a positivity rate of over 10.7 per cent on Monday.
Several states have announced COVID curbs in light of the rise in cases.
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Delhi CM Kejriwal Tests Positive for COVID-19
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced on Tuesday, 4 January.
The chief minister said that he is experiencing mild symptoms, and advised those who came in contact with him to isolate themselves and get tested.
23 Junior Doctors at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital Test Positive
As many as 23 resident doctors of Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, reported NDTV.
India Reports 37,379 New COVID Cases, Omicron Tally at 1,892
India reported 37,379 new COVID-19 cases and 124 deaths on Tuesday, 4 January.
The number active cases in the country stands at 1,71,830, while the positivity rate is 3.24 percent.
The country has reported 1,892 Omicron cases so far.
19.69 Cr Unutilised Vaccines Available With States: Govt
Over 152.96 crore COVID vaccine doses have been provided to the states and Union territories so far by the government of India (free cost channel) and through direct state procurement category, the central government has indicated.
"More than 19.69 crore balance and unutilised vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union territories," it added.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries Tests Positive for COVID-19
Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, he announced in a tweet.
Night Curfew Imposed in Punjab
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, a night curfew has been imposed in Punjab from 10 pm to 5 am.
The order will remain in force till 15 January.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari Tests Positive for COVID-19
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has tested positive for COVID-19.
"Yesterday (2 January) I was feeling unwell since night. Due to mild fever and cold, I could not even go for Uttarakhand-Rudrapur campaign yesterday. I have tested positive today. Taking precautions, I had isolated myself yesterday only. Please take care of yourself and your family [sic]," he tweeted.
AIIMS-Delhi Cancels Winter Vacation Amid COVID Surge
Amid a surge in COVID-19 in the national capital, AIIMS, Delhi, cancelled the remaining part of the institute's winter vacation, and has asked faculty members to join duty with immediate effect, news agency ANI reported.
'Not A Big Deal': Satyender Jain on Kejriwal Testing COVID-Positive
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that Chief Minister Kejriwal contracting COVID-19 was not a big deal, but its spread among people was a matter of concern.
"Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has only mild symptoms. COVID reaching the CM is not a big deal, but spreading among the people is a matter of concern. We need to be extremely cautious," Jain was quoted as saying by ANI.
DDMA Meeting on COVID-19 Underway in Delhi
A meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is underway to review the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, and the restrictions that have been imposed.
Telangana Declares Holidays for All Educational Institutes from 8-16 January
In view of rising COVID-19 cases, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said that holidays would be declared for all educational institutions in the state from January 8 to 16.
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde Tests Positive for COVID-19
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced in a tweet in Marathi.
'Will Impose Lockdown in Mumbai if Cases Cross 20,000': Mayor
"We will have to impose a lockdown in Mumbai if daily COVID cases cross the 20,000-mark," Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar was quoted as saying by ANI.
Babul Supriyo Tests COVID-Positive for 3rd Time
Former Union Minister and TMC leader Babul Supriyo has tested positive for COVID-19 for the third time, he announced on Tuesday.
The politician expressed concern over the high price of the COVID-19 cocktail injection given to seriously ill patients.
"Me, my wife, Dad, multiple staff, have all tested positive, but my concern is the superhigh Rs 61,000/- price of the cocktail jab that needs to be given SOS to seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Dad who is 84, needed the jab SOS and I have to buy it on-the-spot. How can the EWS afford it?" he tweeted.
Weekend Curfew, Other Curbs Imposed in Delhi
Amid a COVID-19 spike in Delhi, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Tuesday, 4 January, that a weekend curfew would be imposed in Delhi on Saturdays and Sundays.
Government employees, except those working in essential services, will work from home, Sisodia announced. Private offices will be open with 50 percent capacity.
"Buses and metros will operate at full capacity, but no one will be allowed to enter them without a mask," the deputy chief minister said.
Delhi Expected To Report 5,500 Cases Today: Satyender Jain
"Today, Delhi is expected to report 5500 COVID-19 cases, with the positivity rate rising to 8.5 percent," Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The weekend curfew is being imposed in view of rising COVID-19 cases and should not be considered as a lockdown, Jain stated.
60 at IIT Kharagpur Test Positive for COVID-19
Sixty persons, including 40 students and researchers residing on IIT Kharagpur's campus, have tested positive for COVID-19, the institute's registrar told news agency PTI.
US Reports Over a Million Cases
The US reported over a million COVID-19 cases on Monday, 3 January, the highest that any country has reported ever since the pandemic began.
Delhi Reports 5,481 COVID Cases, Positivity Rate at 8.37%
Delhi reported 5,481 new COVID cases and 3 deaths on Tuesday, 4 January. Active cases stand at 14,889. The positivity rate has further risen to 8.37 percent.
Punjab Announces Night Curfew, Other COVID-19 Restrictions
In view of the rising COVID-19 cases, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner announced on Tuesday that non-essential movement would be banned from 10 pm to 5 am, and legal action would be taken if the night curfew was violated.
Bars, cinemas halls, malls, restaurants, spas, and AC buses will operate at 50 percent capacity, subject to staff being fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, swimming pools and gyms will remain closed. Further, only fully vaccinated staff will be allowed to attend government and private offices.
He further stressed that the principle of "no mask, no service" will be followed.
Delhi Govt Announces Plan For Real-Time Monitoring of Oxygen Supply
Delhi government has issued an action plan for smooth running and real-time monitoring of oxygen supply in the national capital.
Telemetry devices are being installed on oxygen tanks of 53 government and private hospitals in the city. Live monitoring will be done through the government COVID war room.
Cordelia Cruise With 66 COVID Positive Passengers Will Return to Mumbai Today
Cordelia cruise with 66 COVID-19 positive passengers will return to Mumbai on Tuesday evening. A team from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will conduct a screening of passengers on arrival.
Further, the 66 COVID-19 positive passengers will be put under isolation at designated facilities. All other passengers will undergo the RT-PCR test and will be allowed to disembark from the ship only after their COVID-19 test results come, the BMC announced.
‘Ready To Face Even a Tsunami of Cases’: Mumbai Mayor
Commenting on WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' statement that the Omicron variant "is leading to a tsunami of cases," Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that the city was ready for the third wave.
Pednekar was quoted as saying, "We are ready for the third wave. We have liquid oxygen plants, have 30,000 beds other than hospital beds... jumbo COVID centers are ready. We can even deal with a tsunami of cases," NDTV reported.
2,479 COVID Cases Reported in Karnataka
Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K informed that the state reported 2,479 new COVID cases and four deaths on Tuesday. Out of these, 2,053 new cases were recorded in Bengaluru.
No new Omicron cases were reported, though there are 77 total Omicron cases in the state. The positivity rate has risen to 2.59 percent in Karnataka.
3,640 COVID Cases Reported in Kerala
Kerala reported 3,640 new COVID cases, 30 deaths, and 2,363 recoveries on Tuesday. Active cases currently stand at 20,180.
Further, the Kerala government said in an official statement that 423 deaths were added to the death tally as per the new guidelines of the Central government, taking the toll to 48,637.
310 COVID Cases Reported in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand reported 310 new COVID cases, 1 death, and 111 recoveries on Tuesday. Active cases currently stand at 654.
Chhattisgarh Imposes Ban on Processions, Rallies, Public Gatherings
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel imposed a ban on processions, rallies, public gatherings, social, cultural, and sports events in every district of the state on Tuesday.
It was further announced that random testing for COVID-19 at railway stations and borders of the state would be conducted.
The CMO announced that in districts with a positivity rate of 4 percent or more, all schools, anganwadi centers, libraries, swimming pools, malls, cinemas, marriage palaces, hotels, restaurants, and auditoriums will be closed. Night curfew from 10 pm to 6 am has also been recommended.
41 Students of DMC’s Nursing College in Ludhiana Test Positive
Around 41 students of DMC's NursingCollege in Ludhiana were found to be COVID-positive. Out of these patients, 23 have been admitted to an adequate facility, Ludhiana CMO Dr SP Singh informed.
14 Students of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital Test COVID Positive
Nineteen people, including 14 students, test positive for COVID-19 at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.
The Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal of the hospital said that it was quite alarming.
Flights From Delhi and Mumbai to Kolkata Restricted
West Bengal Additional Chief Secretaray BP Gopalika informed the Civil Aviation Ministry, on Tuesday, that flights from Mumbai and Delhi would be allowed only thrice a week, starting from 5 January.
The flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The situation will be reviewed depending on COVID cases in the state.
Pune Reports 1,104 COVID Cases, Positivity Rate at 18%
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar informed that the city of Pune reported 1,104 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the positivity rate to 18 percent.
He added, "Physical classes for Classes 1 to 8 will be closed till 30 January in Pune district, including limits of municipal corporation, Pune city, and Pimpri Chinchwad. The classes will continue in online mode."
Moreover, Pawar said that a fine of Rs 500 would be imposed for not wearing a face mask in public places in Pune, and Rs 1,000 for spitting in open from Wednesday.
Mumbai Reports 10,860 COVID Cases
Mumbai reported 10,860 new infections of COVID-19 and two deaths on Tuesday. The number of active cases currently stands at 47,476.
This is the highest single-day spike since 7 April. Further, Tuesday's numbers were 34 percent higher than Monday's 8,082 COVID cases.
Notably, 89 percent of these infections (9,665 cases) are asymptomatic.
40% Beds To Be Reserved for COVID Patients: Delhi Govt
The Delhi government announced, on Tuesday, that all private hospitals and nursing homes in Delhi with 50 beds or more would reserve at least 40 percent of their total bed capacity for COVID-19 patients.
Gujarat Reports 2,265 New COVID Cases
Gujarat reported 2,265 new COVID cases, 240 recoveries, and 2 deaths on Tuesday. Active cases are currently at 7,800.
260 New COVID Cases Reported in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh reported 260 new COVID cases and 22 recoveries on Tuesday.
Maharashtra Reports 18,466 COVID Cases
Maharashtra reported 18,466 new COVID cases on Tuesday, up by 51 per cent from the previous day. The state also reported 20 deaths and currently has 66,308 active cases. Omicron case tally in the state also reached 653, of these 259 have been discharged.
9,073 New COVID Cases Reported in West Bengal
West Bengal saw a massive spike, reporting 9,073 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours. The state also reported 3,768 recoveries and 16 deaths on Tuesday. Of the total new cases in the state, 4759 were reported from Kolkata alone.
Tamil Nadu Reports 2,731 Cases
Tamil Nadu reported 2,731 new COVID cases and 9 deaths on Tuesday evening. A total of 674 people were also discharged on Tuesday. Currently, there are 12,412 active cases in the state.
Bihar Imposes Night Curfew Among Other Curbs
In view of rising number of COVID-19, Bihar has imposed the following curbs from 6 to 21 January.
Night curfew from 10pm to 5am
Religious places to remain closed
Malls, cinemas, clubs, swimming pools, stadiums, gyms, parks will also remain closed till 21 January
Pre-school and classes 1 to 8 will remain closed, while online classes to continue.
Educational institutions of classes 9 to 12 will function on 50 percent capacity.
BMC Issues Guidelines for Sealing of Buildings in Mumbai
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Tuesday, that whole buildings or a wing of building complex/society shall be sealed if over 20 percent of occupied number of flats are affected with COVID cases and at least 10 COVID-19 positive cases are detected in these affected flats in total.
475 COVID Cases, 3 Deaths Reported in Assam
Assam reported 475 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours.
BCCI Postpones Senior Women’s T20 League
In view of the initial signs of a surge in the country, BCCI on Tuesday, postponed Ranji Trophy, Col CK Nayudu Trophy and Senior Women’s T20 League for 2021-22 season.
Seven Omicron Cases Reported in Andhra Pradesh
Seven new Omicron cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh on 3 January, taking the total number of cases to 24 in the state.
The state government said that one patient is mildly symptomatic and under hospital isolation, while all others are "healthy and are under isolation."
Weekend Curfew in Karnataka From 7 January
The Karnataka government announced a weekend curfew in the state, starting 10 pm on Friday to 5 am on Monday, for two weeks.
The government also imposed the following curbs:
Schools in Bengaluru apart from Classes 10 and 12 will be shut down for two weeks from 6 January, news agency ANI cited Karnataka minister R Ashoka as saying.
Only 50 percent of fully-vaccinated persons will be allowed at all public places
A maximum of 200 fully-vaccinated people will be allowed in outside weddings.
Karnataka minister R Ashoka informed that theaters, malls, pubs and bars will be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity, and that there will be no gatherings allowed at public places.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar called for caution. "In the first & second waves of COVID-19, the infection rate used to double once in 15 days and 8-10 days, respectively. But now, this is doubling in 1-2 days. We need to be cautious," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Over 37.5 Lakh Children Receive First Dose of Vaccine on Tuesday
The Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday, 4 Janaury, that over 37.5 lakh children received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the second day of the inoculation drive for those in the age group of 15-18 years.
All International Passengers to Undergo Rapid RT-PCR Test at Mumbai International Airport
All international passengers will be asked to take the rapid RT PCR test at the Mumbai Airport, as per the latest guidelines announced by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.
If negative, they will be allowed to leave and asked to stay under a seven-day home quarantine. Those found positive will have to undergo institutional quarantine.
All Schools to be Closed in Raipur
All schools (class 1-12) to be closed in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Students have been prohibited from going to school, while teachers will continue coming to school and take online classes.