India | Omicron
Omicron three times more infectious, activate war rooms: Centre tells states
New Delhi/IBNS: The Centre on Tuesday warned the states that the Omicron strain is three times as infectious as the Delta variant of coronavirus and war rooms must be activated to contain it.
In a letter by Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, the states have been called for "even greater foresight, data analysis and dynamic decision making".
Laying the basic guidelines for threshold limits, the Centre has said the states and Union Territories must take "containment measures, curbs even before thresholds are reached."
Besides Omicron, the Delta variant is "still present" in different parts of the country, the letter warned.
"Hence, even greater foresight, data analysis, dynamic decision making and strict & prompt containment action is required at the local and district level. The decision making at the State/UT and district level must be very prompt and focused and take containment measures and restrictions even before these thresholds are reached," the Centre said.
It listed a series of containment measures that included night curfew, regulation of large gatherings, restrictions in numbers at offices and public transport.
It has also been suggested that emergency funds be used to ramp up medical infrastructure, including hospital beds, ambulances, oxygen equipment and medicines.
A total of 200 cases of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been reported so far in India, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
Out of the 200 cases, 77 have been discharged, the Ministry data showed.
According to the bulletin issued by the Health Ministry, Delhi and Maharashtra reported the highest numbers with 54 cases each, followed by Telangana 20, and Karnataka 19.
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