‘World is witnessing 4th surge’: Centre’s warning as Omicron tally rises to 358

Union health ministry on Friday issued a fresh warning against Covid-19 pandemic in the wake of the rise in Omicron cases, the newest variant of SARS-CoV-2. On December 23, the world recorded over 9 lakh Covid-19 cases, which indicates a fresh wave of the pandemic, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Friday during the ministry’s weekly press briefing.

Addressing a joint press conference on the pandemic, the health secretary said that 61 percent of the adult population is fully vaccinated, while 89 percent has received their first COVID-19 dose.

Here’s what Health Ministry said:

1. The world is witnessing the 4th surge of the pandemic. On December 23, over 9 lakh Covid cases have been recorded all over the world.
2. Compared with Europe, North America and Africa, Asia is witnessing a decline in the number of fresh cases, but we have to be on guard, Rajesh Bhushan said.
3. India has been recording around 7,000 Covid cases every day. Since the past 4 weeks, India’s daily case tally fell below 10,000
4. India has seen two surges of the pandemic so far: one in September 2020 and the second in May 2021.
5. At present, India’s cases are on the decline: Global case positivity rate is more than 6% while India’s case positivity rate is 5.3%, though there are regional variations.
6. Cause of concern is the case positivity rate in Kerala and Mizoram.
7. Around 20 districts in the country are reporting a weekly positivity between 5 and 10%

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(With inputs from agencies)