Covid-19 Omicron Variant January 18 update news: At 2,38,018, India records sharp decline in fresh Corona infections, 310 deaths; Omicron tally rises to 8,891

Updated: January 18, 2022 9:38:21 am

Omicron Variant Cases and Deaths in India Live, Covid-19 Booster Vaccine Registration Jan 18 Live Updates: Omicron Variant Cases and Deaths in India Live, Covid-19 Booster Vaccine Registration Jan 18 Live Updates: After a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases, led by Omicron variant, India has started witnessing a fall in fresh Coronavirus infections. The state reported 31,111 fresh Coronavirus infections on Monday, 10,216 cases less than the day before. Cases have been falling sharply across the country. The Reserve Bank of India study says Omicron may be a “flash flood than a wave”. However, the decline in daily cases has also been because of fewer tests on Sunday. According to the health bulletin, Delhi conducted only 44,762 tests on Monday, the lowest since November 29 when 43,499 tests were conducted. The positivity rate – or proportion of samples tested that returned positive – increased slightly to 27.99%. So, we cannot draw any conclusion from the recent drop in fresh Corona infections; it’s too early. The worst is not over yet.

The Chinese municipality of Tianjin reported fewer COVID-19 cases on Tuesday as its outbreak showed early signs of easing, while the daily case count in the city of Anyang hit a record. Tianjin, a key port in the northern China, reported 18 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms for Monday, the National Health Commission (NHC) data showed on Tuesday. That marks the lowest daily number in a week. NHC official He Qinghua said on Saturday the risk of the Tianjin outbreak spreading to other areas was gradually declining, as new cases in the past three days were mainly in people who had been quarantined. Assembly plants

for Volkswagen and Toyota in Tianjin remained closed due to the outbreak. The component factory of Volkswagen in the city has resumed some of the shifts since Thursday last week, according to a statement from Volkswagen Group China on Tuesday. Tianjin reported over 300 local symptomatic cases from the current cluster, which has also spread Omicron infections to two other cities. Tianjin's caseload remains smaller than many outbreaks overseas, but it has made it harder for locals to leave town, sealed up higher risk communities and launched multiple rounds of testing among its 14 million residents, under China's guideline to quickly curb any flare-up as soon as possible. (Reuters)

India’s cumulative COVID19 vaccination coverage exceeds 158.04 crores, as nearly 80 lakh vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours: Union Health Ministry (ANI)

India reports 2,38,018 COVID cases (20,071 less than yesterday), 310 deaths, and 1,57,421 recoveries in the last 24 hours.

Active case: 17,36,628
Daily positivity rate: 14.43%

8,891 total Omicron cases detected so far; an increase of 8.31% since yesterday (ANI)

COVID19 | No decision yet by the union health ministry on vaccination for children of age group 12-14 years: Official sources (ANI)

An Israeli hospital on Monday said preliminary research indicates a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine provides only limited defence against the omicron variant that is raging around the world. Sheba Hospital last month began administering a fourth vaccine to more than 270 medical workers, 154 who received a Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine and 120 others who received Moderna's. All had previously been vaccinated three times with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. The clinical trial found that both groups showed increases in antibodies “slightly higher” than following the third vaccine last year. But it said the increased antibodies did not prevent the spread of omicron. “Despite increased antibody levels, the fourth vaccine only offers a partial defense against the virus,” said Dr Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the hospital's infection disease unit. (AP)