India on precipice of third COVID-19 wave: How Omicron is fuelling a rise in COVID-19 cases

A third wave fuelled by the Omicron variant is knocking at India’s doorstep. As of Sunday, India’s COVID-19 tally had risen by 27,553 cases and the current caseload stood at 3,48,89,132. The active caseload, as of 2 January, stood at 1,22,801. Delhi and Mumbai are already in the grips of the third wave, according to experts, as they have been recording a surge of coronavirus cases. On Sunday, the national capital reported 3,194 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day rise since 20 May. On the same, Mumbai saw 8,063 fresh coronavirus positive cases and Maharashtra saw 11,877 new cases. West Bengal too reported a huge spike in cases, forcing the state to impose new curbs , including shutting all educational institutions and mandating that offices operate with 50 percent workforce. On Saturday, the eastern state reported 4,512 fresh COVID-19 cases, 1,061 more than the previous day, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 new cases, as per the state health department. Here’s a direct comparison of where the country stood in its battle against coronavirus on 2 January 2021 vis-a-vis where we are today. 2021 vs 2022 On 2 January 2021, a total of 19,079 people tested positive for the coronavirus infection in a day, while the death toll rose by 224. In comparison, India’s tally as of 2 January 2022 had risen by 27,553 cases and the fatalities had increased by 284; that’s a difference of over 8,000 cases. According to the ministry of health, the weekly positivity rate stands at 1.35 percent, whereas it was 2.06 percent in 2021. The one silver lining one can take from this situation is that the death rate is not as severe. Studies have shown repeatedly that the new variant Omicron is highly infectious but less life-threatening. In January 2021, India’s death rate was 1.45 percent, whereas today it stands at 1.38 percent — showing that the new COVID-19 variant isn’t as dangerous, but very easily transmissible. What experts say Noted virologist Shaahid Jameel was quoted as telling The Outlook, “India is in the early stages of another wave. Both numbers, as well as test positivity rate, has started going up in several places, especially in larger cities.” Professor Paul Kattuman, an economist and applied econometrician at Judge Business School, who worked on developing the India COVID-19 tracker, told Indian Express that data showed that no state will wholly escape the Omicron wave. M Vidyasagar, head of the National COVID-19 Supermodel Committee, had said that India is likely to have the third wave of the pandemic in February 2022, which will be led by the Omicron variant but is likely to be milder than the deadly second wave. The COVID-19 expert said that the third wave of the pandemic will hit the nation and will be milder than the second wave due to a large-scale immunity present in the country. Though the symptoms will be mild, India will see a higher number of daily cases than the second wave, he said. The panel chief further said that India can expect up to two lakh new cases each day during the third wave of the pandemic, but these are projections, not predictions. “We can start making predictions once we know how the virus is behaving in the Indian population,” he said. Are we prepared? According to the Union government, India is prepared for the third wave of coronavirus. India’s medical oxygen capacity, essential for serious COVID-19 patients has increased nearly 28 percent between October 2020 and November 2021. States have also ramped up their health infrastructure on the recommendations of the Centre. The Central Armed Police Forces have begun stocking required medicines like Remdesivir, as well oxygen supplies and reactivating the dedicated COVID-19 care centres, including the world’s largest makeshift coronavirus hospital in south Delhi. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.