Mumbai extends COVID-19 curbs until December 31 amid Omicron concerns
What's the story
Authorities in Mumbai have extended coronavirus-related restrictions until December 31 amid rising cases of Omicron in the city. Omicron is a new strain of coronavirus and said to be highly contagious. The existing rules in Mumbai ban large gatherings and require people to be fully vaccinated in most public settings. Here are more details on this.
Context
Why does it matter?
These are early signs that we may witness more restrictions due to the rise in Omicron variant cases. It is said to be the most heavily mutated strain of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 so far. Early data suggest it spreads fast but causes a milder illness though further studies are ongoing. The United Kingdom recently announced the first death due to the variant.
Details
What are the restrictions in Mumbai?
As per the government order: Employees of all shops and commercial establishments as well as their customers are required to be fully vaccinated. People using any form of public transport should also be fully jabbed. Further, those arriving in the city should either be fully vaccinated or carry a negative COVID-19 test report. A maximum of 50% capacity can be occupied at any event.
Information
Rules in effect until December 31 midnight
The extension of restrictions will come into effect starting 12:01 am on Thursday and remain in place until the midnight of December 31, unless withdrawn earlier, the Mumbai Police Commissioner said on Wednesday.
Cases
Mumbai reported 7 more cases
On Tuesday, Mumbai reported seven of the eight fresh Omicron cases in Maharashtra. None of the patients had any history of foreign travel, reports say. Besides, all of them except one are vaccinated against the coronavirus. The number of cases in Maharashtra has jumped to 28. Of them, 12 are from Mumbai, 10 from Pimpri Chinchwad, and two from Pune.
India
Over 60 Omicron cases in India
More than 60 Omicron infections have been detected across India so far. Cases have multiplied since the first two were reported in Karnataka on December 2. Other states that have registered Omicron cases include Gujarat, Chandigarh, Kerala, Delhi, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday warned Omicron is spreading at an unprecedented rate around the world.