COVID-19: PM Modi to chair Coronavirus review meet at 4.30 PM today amid surge in cases

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a meeting at 4:30 pm today to examine the pandemic scenario in the country, amid fears over the surge in fresh coronavirus cases. In the previous 24 hours, India has reported 1,59,632 new COVID-19 cases, according to the Union Health Ministry. So far, 3,623 cases of the Omicron strain of coronavirus have been reported in the country, according to the Ministry.

PM Modi is now set to chair a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the country today evening, the government sources confirmed. During the meeting, the PM will interact with the various stakeholders and discuss the COVID-19 situation in the country. The meeting finds relevance as it comes after the dates for the upcoming state assembly elections have been announced. Earlier last month, PM Modi had chaired a similar meeting amid the sudden rise in Omicron cases.

Centre issues fresh guidelines for travellers

The Central government on Friday announced that all international travellers flying to India will have to undergo seven days of mandatory home quarantine starting 11 January 2022. The official notification by the Centre informed that the travellers from 'at-risk' countries will need to follow additional measures on arrival in the country, which also includes post-arrival testing. These passengers will be tested for COVID-19 at the airport before being quarantined and will have to take an RT-PCR test on the 8th day of their arrival. As of now, 19 countries have been put into the 'at-risk' category.

COVID situation in India

India saw a single-day spike of 1,59,632 new COVID-19 cases, raising the tally to 3.55 crore, including 3,623 cases of Omicron variant across 27 states and union territories. India's active caseload currently stands at 5,90,611. The active cases comprise 1.66 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has come down to 96.98 per cent. 

Maharashtra continues to lead charts as the state with the highest level of infections. The state reported 41,434 new COVID-19 cases, 9,671 recoveries and 13 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state currently has 1,73,238 active cases while the death tally has reached 1,41,627. 133 patients with the Omicron variant were reported on Saturday, taking the total case tally of the Variant of Concern in the state to 1009. Mumbai logged 20,318 fresh COVID cases and five deaths on Saturday. There are 1,73,238 active cases in the state.

Image: PTI