The new guidelines have been issued to check the spread of Covid-19 in the wake of the spread of the new variant of coronavirus, Omicron. The Centre has exempted its staff living in containment zones from coming to office, reports Asian Lite News
The central government on Monday issued new guidelines for its offices, restricting the number of people below the level of undersecretary. The decision has been taken in the wake of a rising number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.
The Omicron variant has led to a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases across the country. The number of those affected by the new strain of coronavirus crossed the 1,700-mark on Monday.
The Centre has implemented a number of measures to check the spread of the infection and has even asked the state governments to tighten the curbs based on local conditions.
India logs 37,379 new Covid cases
In another significant single-day spike amid the ongoing resurgence, India logged 37,479 new Covid-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, taking the overall active infection tally to 1,71,830, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced on Tuesday.
The active caseload now accounts for 0.49 per cent of the country’s total positive cases, according to the Ministry.
Also in the same period, the country registered 124 new Covid fatalities, which increased the nationwide death toll to 4,82,017.
Meanwhile, the Omicron infection tally has climbed at 1,892, of which 766 have been discharged from hospitals.
So far, at least 23 states have reported Omicron cases, said the Ministry.
The recovery of 11,007 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 3,43,06,414. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.13 per cent.
A total of 11,54,302 tests were conducted across the country in the past 24 hours, taking the overall number to over 68.24 crore.
Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate has climbed to 2.05 per cent amid the sudden spike of cases, while the daily positivity rate stood at 3.24 per cent.
With the administration of 99,27,797 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s Covid inoculation coverage reached 146.70 crore as of Tuesday morning.
More than 19.69 crore balance and unutilized Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, according to the Ministry.
DDMA to impose weekend curfew in Delhi
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday decided to impose a weekend curfew in the capital city in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 resurgence.
In a virtual meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the Authority suggested for weekend curfew during which no non-essential movement will be allowed.
The meeting also discussed imposing more restrictions in the city in an effort to curb the unabated surge.
According to the DDMA order, all government offices, except those dealing with essential services, will work from home. A cap of 50 per cent occupancy has been imposed on private offices.
On Monday, Delhi reported 4,099 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day spike after May 18, 2021 when the tally was also 4,482.
The new cases have pushed the infection tally to 14,58,220.
Meanwhile, an additional Covid fatality has increased the national capital’s death toll to 25,110.
The Covid infection in the city has climbed to 6.46 per cent, highest in the last seven months. According to the Delhi Health Department, the national capital had recorded 6.89 per cent positivity rate on May 18, 2021.
Of the cases being reported in the national capital, 81 per cent are that of the new Omicron variant, Health Minister Satyendra Jain had said in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
The capital has, so far, detected 351 Omicron cases, of which 57 have been discharged from the hospital.
AIIMS cancels doctors’ winter vacation amid Covid surge
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Tuesday announced the cancellation of doctors’ winter vacation amid rising Covid cases.
In a notice issued on Monday, the AIIMS Delhi has directed all faculty members to join back their duty with immediate effect at the hospital.
“In continuation of the office memoranda of dated December 22 and 27, it is to inform that the Competent Authority has decided to cancel the remaining part of the winter vacation from 5th to 10th January due to ongoing Covid 19 and Omicron pandemic,” said the notice issued by the hospital administration with approval of AIIMS Director.