KEY STORY
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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday confirmed that there are at present 10 Omicron cases in the state as of today.
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“About 65 swabs have been sent for genome sequencing and their reports are awaited. We have 3 labs for genome sequencing, but will expand further in Nagpur and Aurangabad,” Tope said.
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The new variant of the novel coronavirus has spread to several parts of the country after it was first detected in South Africa.
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Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today ordered for “speedy vaccination” against the Covid-19 virus after the Cabinet expressed concerns over the rapid outbreak of the Omicron strain across the world.
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At a state cabinet meeting, Thackeray directed officials to boost vaccination, especially in places where the ratio of inoculated people against the eligible population is low.
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Till now, 12,03,18,240 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Maharashtra, and 4,37,46,512 people have been fully inoculated, while 7,65,71,728 have received at least one shot.
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“As much as 76.69 per cent people in the 18 to 44 years age group have received at least one dose, while 85.25 per cent individuals in the above-45 group have been jabbed at least once,” an official statement said.
CONCLUSION
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The government observed that the number of Omicron-infected patients across the world has shot up by 45 per cent in just the past 24 hours as the strain has spread to 54 countries so far.
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“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 said, according to news agency PTI.
