(TibetanReview.net, Dec10’21) – As speculations continue on the possible global impact of the admittedly more contagious Omicron variant of Sars-Cov-2 virus, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) announced Dec 9 that 23 Tibetans in India and Nepal had tested Coronavirus positive during the last one week. This was 16 less than the number reported the week before.
Addressing its 89th weekly briefing, the CTA’s Covid-19 taskforce has said the positive cases had been detected from tests carried out on 342 Tibetans, a positivity rate of 6.7%.
The cumulative total of Tibetan Covid-19 infections now stands at 6,958. Of them, 6,745 have recovered while 162 have died. Active cases stand at 51.
Meanwhile it was reported by the IANS news service Dec 9 that 23 persons had tested positive for Covid-19 at the Tibetan Lama Camp in Bylakuppe in Mysuru district in the last 24 hours. It said the residential camp had been sealed and all the Covid positive patients isolated. Health Officer Dr Sharath was reported to have visited the Tibetan camp to take stock of the situation.
***
Meanwhile the Omicron variant has been reported in 57 nations and the number of patients needing hospitalisation was likely to rise as it spreads, reported the timesofindia.com Dec 8, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
It cited the WHO as saying in its weekly epidemiological report that more data was needed to assess the severity of disease caused by the Omicron variant and whether its mutations might reduce protection from vaccine-derived immunity.
“Even if the severity is equal or potentially even lower than for Delta variant, it is expected that hospitalisations will increase if more people become infected and that there will be a time lag between an increase in the incidence of cases and an increase in the incidence of deaths,” it has said.
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 is 4.2 times more transmissible in its early stage than Delta, timesofindia.com Dec 9 cited a study by a Japanese scientist who advises the country’s health ministry, as saying.
***
India has detected 8,503 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours reported this morning, which was 9.7% less than yesterday when an 11.6% increase was reported over the preceding day’s figure.
India’s cumulative Covid-19 cases now stand at 3,46,74,744. Active cases constitute 0.27% of the total while 98.36% have recovered, shows India’s Health Ministry data.
Those who have died constituted 1.37% of the total.
The country’s daily positivity rate was reported to be 0.66% and the weekly 0.72%.
Himachal Pradesh reported 52 cases in the last 24 hours; the highest being 11 each from Solan and Hampirpur districts.
Due to the fear of the Omicron variant, India has extended the ban on regular international flights till Jan 31, 2022, after having previously decided to lift it from Jan 1.
