Here are the latest updates on the new coronavirus variant:

  1. The Union government on Thursday told states and union territories to ensure the setting up of district and sub-district control rooms to deal with coronavirus cases, ANI reported. The Centre said that the control rooms should have enough staffing, doctors and a mechanism for monitoring the availibility of beds. It added that depending on the case load, the control rooms should remain operational round the clock to provide guidance and support to patients.
  2. The Puducherry government on Thursday announced new curbs to control Covid-19, ANI reported. Malls, market complexes, cinema halls and shops will be allowed to function with 50% capacity. Inter-district and intra-district public transport will also be permitted up to 50% seating capacity.
  3. Delhi on Thursday recorded 15,097 new coronavirus cases – a 41.55% jump from Wednesday’s count of 10,665 infections. With this, the infection tally in the national Capital climbed to 14,89,463 since the pandemic broke out in January 2020. The daily positivity rate also increased to 15.34%, up from 11.88% a day ago. The toll climbed to 25,127 after six new deaths were reported. Only 1,091 of the 12,580 beds in the national Capital are currently occupied.
  4. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation said on Thursday that all persons arriving at the city airport will need to undergo an RT-PCR test, PTI reported. The orders to fully vaccinated people and those carrying RT-PCR negative reports. The Odisha government imposed a night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am from Friday. The authorities have also capped guests at weddings and funerals at 100 and 50, respectively.
  5. Twenty-one more workers with the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, ANI reported. With this, a total of 87 workers have tested positive in the past few days, out whom 22 have been discharged from hospitals.
  6. The Delhi government has asked hospitals to increase beds dedicated for Covid-19 patients to 4,350 from the existing 3,316 in nine state-run facilities, ANI reported. On Wednesday, the city had recorded 10,665 coronavirus cases – 94.58% jump from Tuesday’s count.
  7. As many as 143 of the 1,827 passengers on board Cordelia cruise ship that returned to Mumbai from Goa tested positive for coronavirus, PTI reported on Thursday. On Monday, 66 passengers on the ship had contracted the infection. The ship was stopped and the travellers were not allowed to deboard until their test results arrived.
  8. Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar and Union minister Nityanand Rai tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. She requested people who have come in her contact to get tested immediately.
  9. The Haryana government announced fresh restrictions in Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, and Jhajjar districts, The Indian Express reported on Thursday. Only fully-vaccinated persons will be allowed in public spaces. The number of guests has been capped at 100 for marriages and 50 for funerals. Cinema halls, restaurants, bars, gyms, spas and club houses will operated at 50% capacity. Sports complexes, stadiums and swimming pools will be shut for general public. However, sportspersons will be able to train in these arenas. These restrictions were already in force in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat districts.
  10. Brazil on Wednesday authorised Covid vaccines for children aged five to 11 amid a rising rate of infections. In the United States, the Centres for Disease Control also said that children between 12 and 17 years of age could take the Pfizer booster dose, The Washington Post reported. The directive came at a time when the US is witnessing more than seven lakh coronavirus cases every day. On Wednesday, 7,04,369 tested positive for the virus.