India recorded 58,097 cases on Wednesday – a 55.42% jump from Tuesday’s count of 37,379 cases. The country has reported 3,50,18,358 cases since the pandemic began in 2020. Currently, there are 2,14,004 active cases.

With 534 deaths in the last 24 hours, the toll increased to 4,82,551. As many as 15,389 patients recovered from the virus on Tuesday, taking the tally to 3,43,21,803. The daily positivity rate stood at 4.81%.

Cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus increased to 2,135 from Tuesday’s count of 1,892. Omicron was first reported in the country on December 2 and has now spread to 24 states and Union Territories, with Manipur recording its first case in the last 24 hours.

Most infections of the new variant have been reported from Maharashtra (653), Delhi (464), Kerala (185), Rajasthan (174) and Gujarat (154).

The health ministry said that 828 out of the 2,135 persons who tested positive for the new variant have recovered or migrated.

State-wise break-up of Omicron cases. (Source: Press Information Bureau)

As Covid-19 cases have been rising in the country, many states have imposed more restrictions and increased testing measures for early detection.

The Mumbai civic body has made the rapid RT-PCR test mandatory for all the international passengers arriving at the airport here, PTI reported. Earlier, the tests were compulsory for travellers from the ‘countries at risk’.

The symptomatic passengers will be admitted to Seven Hills Hospital, while asymptomatic passengers will be taken to the jumbo Covid-19 facilities in the Bandra-Kurla Complex or Kanjurmarg.

The Maharashtra health department on Tuesday said that only one person of those infected with Omicron variant till Monday had severe symptoms, The Indian Express reported. It added that eight people had developed moderate symptoms.

Despite the rising cases in Maharashtra, there will be no lockdown in the state yet, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, according to ANI. Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the government will take a decision on lockdown after considering the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy and oxygen consumption.

Meanwhile, a night curfew was reinforced in Bihar and Karnataka. Schools for the majority of students have also been shut in these two states.

The Uttar Pradesh government extended revised night curfew timings – it will now be imposed from 10 pm to 6 am, The Hindu reported.

The government has told the health officials that gyms, spas, cinema halls, banquet halls, restaurants and public places would have to be run with 50% capacity if daily case count surpasses 1,000-mark.

In Telangana, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday reviewed the pandemic situation in the state, News18 reported. While he said that there was no need for a lockdown, as a precaution all education institutions have been shut till January 16.