After registering a sudden spike in the Omicron cases in the capital, Delhi on Thursday detected patients with no travel history which means it’s gradually spreading within the community, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said. The minister also said the variant has been found in 46 percent of 115 samples sequenced so far.

Delhi on Wednesday reported a sudden spike in daily Covid-19 infections with 923 fresh cases as the positivity rate jumped to 1.29 percent. This is the highest daily tally recorded since May 30 this year. On Tuesday, there were 496 new cases, with the positivity rate
of 0.89 percent and one death.

On Wednesday, 73 new Omicron patients were detected, taking the capital’s tally of the new variant to 238. Meanwhile, the DDMA on Wednesday decided that Covid-related restrictions imposed in Delhi under the ‘yellow alert’ will continue for the time being and authorities will monitor the situation for a while before deciding on fresh curbs.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, who is also the chairperson of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority. It was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other experts.

The Delhi government on Wednesday said it will not issue the ‘amber alert’ for now to avoid panic among migrant workers. Meanwhile, no new year celebrations are allowed in public places, the DDMA had earlier announced. A night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am continues to be in
effect.

The minister said that at this stage there were 200 Omicron patients in the city’s hospitals, but only 102 belong to Delhi. The other 98 Omicron patients are from other places. Of these patients,115 did not have any Covid-19 symptoms but they included those with foreign travel history. They were admitted to hospitals as a precautionary measure.

Jain asserted that no Omicron patient required to be given oxygen
support so far.

He said “Yellow Alert” curbs had already been implemented in the city to bring the situation quickly under control. But if these restrictions do not lead to the desired results, more curbs may be introduced in the city by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), he indicated.

As of now, with 263 Omicron cases, the national capital remains the worst-affected state by the new variant, according to the data released by the Union Health Ministry. Fifty-seven of these Omicron patients have got cured and have been discharged by hospitals.