India's COVID cases rise for 2nd day in a row, 7,974 cases reported in 24 hrs

New Delhi: India registered a total of 7,974 fresh cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry bulletin on Thursday morning. The new infections are 14 per cent higher than Wednesday's tally. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 4,76,478 with 343 more fatalities.

The active caseload has now come down to 87,245 while the recoveries rose by 7,948 to 3,41,54,879, the highest since March 2020.

The national tally of daily infections include a total of 73 cases of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease after at least 12 new cases of the strain were reported across India on Wednesday.

The Omicron cases were reported in several states as follows – four each in Maharashtra and Kerala, two in Telangana, and one each in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

Omicron cases in India were first reported on December 2 when two people in Bangalore – a 66-year-old and a 46-year-old male — tested positive for the variant.

State and central governments have, as a result, stepped up tracking and tracing the emergence of the new variant.

Meanwhile, the Union health ministry has also asked states to vigorously screen and test all passengers coming in international flights and has extended all Covid restrictions till December 31.