We should be alert, take jabs and be prepared for everything, says Dr V K Paul

"Following trends and taking cognizance of the situation, WHO referred to Tsunami, knowing the behavior of the virus we are experiencing now. This is a warning issued to all the nations and their people. We should also be alert. The surge could be significant. We have to be prepared for everything," said Dr VK Paul, chairman of India's COVID 19 task force in New Delhi on Thursday.

New Delhi: Taking a strong note of the World Health Organization (WHO's) observation that Omicron and Delta coronavirus variants could produce a Tsunami of COVID 19 cases, India on Thursday issued a caution asking the people to be prepared for everything.

"Following trends and taking cognizance of the situation, WHO referred to Tsunami. Knowing the behavior of the virus we are experiencing now. This is a warning issued to all the nations and their people. We should also be alert. The surge could be significant. We have to be prepared for everything," said Dr VK Paul, chairman of India's COVID 19 task force in New Delhi on Thursday.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said that Omicron, being more transmissible and circulating at the same time as Delta, is leading to a Tsunami of cases.

Ghebreyesus' observation assumes significance for India, as the country witnesses a sudden surge in cases, especially newly emerging Omicron cases.

Asserting that there is a changing scenario in Covid cases, Dr Paul, while addressing a press conference said there is a global rise in number of cases due to Omicron.

As many as 122 countries across the world have been found with 3,30,379 Omicron cases with 59 casualties.

Maximum Omicron cases have been detected in the UK, Denmark, United States, Germany, Norway Canada, France, Estonia, Austria and South Africa.

As per health ministry statistics, 961 Omicron cases has been detected from across 22 States in India. However, 320 people have also recovered.

Delhi (263), Maharashtra (252), Gujarat (97), Rajasthan (69), Kerala (65), Telangana (62) are the top six States with maximum number of Omicron cases.

Asserting that India's Covid vaccine has the efficacy to fight Covid 19 pandemic, Dr Paul appealed everyone to take Covid jabs.

Till date, 84.16 crore people (90 percent of adult population) have got the first dose, and 59.67 crore (63.5 percent of the eligible population) has got the second dose.

Talking about India's present Covid situation, Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry, said that India has been witnessing an overall positive development in its fight against Covid "but Omicron is posing a challenge."

He further said that in spite of Omicron increasing rapidly, the dominant variant in India is Delta.

India's total active case at present is 82,402 whereas there is 8,009 average daily new cases and 0.92 percent case positivity in the last week.

With 25.66 percent and 21.33 percent States like Kerala and Maharashtra are still accounting the maximum number of cases.

"Eight districts in India are reporting more than 10 percent weekly positivity and 14 districts are witnessing weekly positivity between 5 to 10 percent," Agarwal said.

With an increasing number of weekly cases and positivity rate, States like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka and Gujarat are become emerging States of concern, said Agarwal.

"Nine districts across India are also reporting an increasing trajectory of cases coupled with high quantum of cases," he said.