Data indicates that India is now seeing a plateau in the number of COVID-19 cases. But there is concern that over three-fourths of the cases come from 10 states.
Omicron is now the dominant variant of the COVID-19 virus in India, the health ministry has said. The statement is based on data that indicates that the country is now seeing a plateau in the number of COVID-19 cases, according to the health ministry.
10 states alone contribute to over three-fourths of the total active cases in the country presently, according to the health ministry.
It is the transmissibility of the virus that makes it a concern and has led to the Omicron variant dominating all COVID-19 cases.
The transmissibility of a virus is measured in terms of doubling time. Omicron takes up to three days to double its numbers – this, according to community health specialists, makes Omicron highly transmissible.
This has public health implications as it can overwhelm healthcare capacities. Apart from exposing those staffing the healthcare system, this can also strain the healthcare system by diverting resource and attention away from non-COVID functions.
The transmissibility also shows that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is more transmissible than Delta.
Earlier in the day, today, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority decided to remove weekend curfew and odd-even rule for shops in the national capital while still keeping night curfews and closure of schools.
This government announcements follow from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) declaring on Sunday that Omicron has reached community transmission levels in the country.
While most Omicron cases so far have been asymptomatic or mild, INSACOG said that global data shows that the majority of severe cases and deaths have been in unvaccinated people.
Image: WIkipedia commons
