With the Omicron variant spreading across the country in an unprecedented pace, India on Saturday reported around 1,41,986 fresh Covid cases, 40,895 recoveries, and 285 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Omicron has been reported in 27 states, with the most cases in Maharashtra with 876 cases, followed by Delhi with 513 infections.

The daily positivity rate is at 9.28% and the active cases recorded was 4,72,169. Out of the total active Covid cases, the total recoveries are 3,44,12,740 and the death toll is 4,83,178   

The total vaccination rate of the country touched 150.06 crore doses. However In Tamilnadu Chennai residents, who are infected with COVID but without any symptoms, can heave a sigh of relief as the duration of home quarantine has been reduced to five from seven days after testing positive, following a directive from the health department.

According to Chennai Corporation official, persons with symptoms should remain under home quarantine for three days after symptoms subside. “Usually, patients infected by the Omicron variant get better within five days. Such patients can end home quarantine three days after their symptoms are cured. For others, home quarantine will be only five days,” the official said.

Several states have announced restrictions like night curfew and weekend curfew. Delhi’s daily Covid cases shot up by 15 per cent today after 17,335 fresh cases were detected in 24 hours. Karnataka today reported 8,449 fresh cases of coronavirus in 24 hours.

A decision on lockdown in Mumbai will be taken by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as Mumbai crossed 20,000 fresh Covid cases – the threshold limit for more restrictions.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who had cancelled her major poll rallies due to the Covid-19 surge, will start campaigning for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls virtually from today.