Omicron cases reported in 77 countries; tally in India stands at 73

With Christmas and New Year fete around the corner, people across the globe and India are worried about the rise in Omicron cases. With 32 confirmed Omicron cases, Maharashtra has the largest Omicron tally in the country, followed by Rajasthan with 17 cases, Delhi six, Kerala five, Gujarat four, Karnataka three, Telangana two and one each in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh and Tamil Nadu.

Hyderabad: In all, 12 new cases of the Omicron were reported across the country on Wednesday i.e; four each in Maharashtra and Kerala, two in Telangana and one each in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal while the national tally continued to swell. The new infections detected on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal were the first Omicron cases in those states, according to officials.

And now, the national tally stands at 73, according to data compiled across states. With 32 confirmed Omicron cases, Maharashtra has the largest Omicron tally in the country, followed by Rajasthan with 17 cases, Delhi six, Kerala five, Gujarat four, Karnataka three, Telangana two and one each in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh and Tamil Nadu.

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) says 77 countries have reported cases of Omicron, but the variant is probably in most countries by now, just not yet detected. WHO says data is still coming in and much remains unknown about the new variant.

“Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant. We are concerned that people are dismissing Omicron as mild,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Surely we have learned by now that we underestimate this virus at our peril.”

Tedros emphasised that vaccines were just one tool--if a major one--to fight the pandemic, along with measures like mask-wearing, better indoor ventilation, social distancing and hand washing.

Omicron is likely to be the dominant Coronavirus variant in the European Union’s 27 nations by mid-January, the bloc’s top official said Wednesday amid concerns that a dramatic rise in infections will leave Europe shrouded in gloom during the holiday season.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is well prepared to fight Omicron with 66.6% of its population fully vaccinated. She expressed disappointment that the pandemic will again disrupt year-end celebrations but said she was confident the European Union has the strength and 'means to overcome Covid.

“Like many of you, I’m sad that once again this Christmas will be overshadowed by the pandemic,” she said. The EU-wide vaccination rate obscures that some EU nations, like Portugal and Spain, have immunised the vast majority of their people while other countries lag way behind. Bulgaria, for instance, has just 26.6% of its population fully vaccinated, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Continental Europe can look at Britain for a sense of what lies ahead as Omicron spreads; the UK officials say it will be the country’s dominant variant within days. The head of the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Jenny Harries, said Omicron is displaying a staggering growth rate compared to previous variants.

Harries said, "the variant poses probably the most significant threat we’ve had since the start of the pandemic.”

Britain on Wednesday recorded 78,610 new infections, its highest confirmed daily total of the pandemic. But, deaths remained far lower than during the country’s previous peaks before vaccines against the Coronavirus were widely deployed. Scientists have said they don’t know yet if Omicron is as lethal as other virus variants.

Alarming rises in infections as winter approached and the delta variant remained at large prompted many European governments to implement public health measures as excess mortality increased during the fall.

With Omicron now on the scene, more countries are adopting restrictions. Italy this week required negative tests from vaccinated visitors, raising concerns that similar moves elsewhere will limit the ability of EU citizens to travel to see friends and relatives over the holidays.

Portugal adopted a similar measure on December. 1, requiring a mandatory negative test for all passengers on arriving flights, regardless of their vaccination status, point of origin or nationality.

Greece announced Wednesday that all arriving travellers must display a negative test starting Sunday unless they have spent less than 48 hours abroad.

Von der Leyen said the EU faces a double challenge, with a massive increase of cases in recent weeks due to the delta variant combined with the rise of Omicron.

“We’re seeing an increasing number of people falling ill, a greater burden on hospitals and unfortunately, an increase in the number of deaths,” she told European Parliament lawmakers.

With agency inputs