Here are the latest updates on the new coronavirus variant:

  1. Maharashtra reported 9,170 fresh cases on Saturday – a 13.7% rise from Friday’s tally of 8,067 infections. Seven people died due to the disease, while six new cases of the Omicron variant were detected, according to government data. In Mumbai, the single-day caseload rose 12.7% from 5,631 infections on Friday to 6,347 cases on Saturday. One person died in Mumbai due to coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the data showed.
  2. In view of the rise in cases of Covid-19 and concerns over the Omicron variant of the disease, the Centre asked all states and Union Territories to set up makeshift hospitals and form special teams to monitor patients in home isolation, ANI reported.
  3. More than 10 ministers and 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday, NDTV reported. He added that further restrictions will be imposed in the state if the number of daily cases continued to rise.
  4. Registration on the CoWIN platform for Covid-19 vaccination among citizens aged 15 years to 18 years started on Saturday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said. The vaccination for adolescents will start on January 3.
  5. A study published by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency showed that the risk of hospitalisation in Omicron variant cases of coronavirus is about one-third that of the Delta strain, Reuters reported. The study analysed 5,28,176 Omicron cases and 5,73,012 Delta cases.