New Delhi: A total of 1,700 cases of Omicron variant of Coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 639 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union Health ministry's data updated on Monday.
Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of 510 cases, followed by Delhi (351), Kerala (156), Gujarat (136), Tamil Nadu (121) and Rajasthan (120). India's Covid tally rose to 3,49,22,882 with 33,750 fresh cases, while the active cases increased to 1,45,582, according to the data updated at 8 am. The death toll climbed to 4,81,893 with 123 more fatalities, the data showed.
The active cases have increased to 1,45,582 comprising 0.42 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate was recorded at 98.20 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 22,781 cases has been recorded in the active Covid caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 3.84 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.68 per cent, according to the Health ministry.
Over 41 lakh children in the age group of 15 to 18 years received Covid vaccine doses till 8 pm on the first day of the inoculation drive for this group of beneficiaries. The cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 146.61 crore with more than 98 lakh shots being administered on Monday till 10.15 pm.
"Well done Young India! Over 40 lakh between 15-18 age group received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of vaccination drive for children, till 8 pm.
This is another feather in the cap of India's vaccination drive," Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter: ''Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well. I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days!''
Meanwhile, a huge crowd was seen at a popular tourist spot in Goa despite a worrying Covid surge, in a video that has been widely shared on Twitter. Goa has seen a sizeable number of tourists since late December with revellers arriving in the coastal state for the Christmas-New Year festival season.
The huge influx of tourists, officials say, has pushed up the COVID-19 positivity rate, which crossed 10 per cent on Sunday.
"This is a Royal welcome to the Covid wave. Mostly tourists," the Twitter user, who goes by the handle @Herman_Gomes, wrote. The video shows hundreds of people walking on a road near Baga Beach in North Goa.
Sixty-six passengers in a cruise ship that sailed from Mumbai to Goa have tested positive for Covid. In a tweet, Goa Health minister Vishwajit Rane said some 2,000 samples were tested on board the cruise ship, Cordelia.
The cruise ship was carrying a large crowd of passengers who came to celebrate the New Year amid the Omicron threat. Passengers have been told to stay put for now. A decision would be taken later whether they would be allowed to leave the ship, the Health minister said.
"Out of 2,000 samples tested from Cordelia cruise ship, 66 passengers tested positive for COVID-19... The authorities will decide whether to allow disembarking of passengers from the ship," Rane tweeted.
Mumbai schools from classes 1-9 will remain closed till January 31, amid concerns over the rapid rise in cases, city's civic body informed on Monday. "Schools for classes 1 to 9 will be closed till January 31, in view of rising Covid-19 cases. School for Classes 10 and 12 to continue," the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation order said.
Students of classes 10 and 12 are excluded from this decision which means they will attend schools in person. Classes for students of 1 to 9 and 11 will continue in online mode, as directed earlier.
Meanwhile, the Centre on Monday suspended the marking of biometric attendance for all its employees till January 31, as a precautionary measure to check the spread of Coronavirus. Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the decision has been taken in the interest of the safety and health of the government employees.
"Keeping in view the rise in #COVID cases in the last few days, the BIOMETRIC ATTENDANCE for govt officials and employees is being suspended with immediate effect, till further orders. Under leadership of PM Sh @NarendraModi, this decision has been taken in the interest of safety and health of the govt employees," he tweeted.
The Centre has allowed 50 per cent of its employees below the level of Under Secretary to work from home amid rising cases, according to a Personnel Ministry order issued on Monday.
Persons with disabilities and pregnant women employees have been exempted from attending the offices, it said.
Central government officers/staff will have to follow staggered timing to avoid overcrowding in the offices, the order said.