LIVE
Mon, 29 November 2021
At 536, Maha new Covid cases lowest after April 27
Timeline Refresh
23:56 At 536, Maha new Covid cases lowest after April 27
Maharashtra on Monday reported 536 fresh coronavirus positive cases, the lowest in a single day after April 27 last year, and 21 fatalities, a state health department official said.
On April 27, 2020, Maharashtra had logged 522 cases.
With the latest additions on Monday, Maharashtra's tally of infections rose to 66,34,980 and the COVID-19 death toll to 1,40,962.
Generally, Maharashtra reports a comparatively fewer number of cases on Mondays owing to the fewer tests carried out during the last 24 hours.
Maharashtra is now left with 7,458 active cases after 853 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, raising the number of recoveries so far to 64,82,493, according to the official.
As of Monday, Maharashtra's case recovery rate stands at 97.70 per cent and the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.
The cumulative number of tests conducted in the state climbed to 6,54,20,117 on Monday after 62,759 samples were examined, the lowest in recent times, in the last 24 hours, the official said.
In Maharashtra,14 districts and nine municipal corporations did not report any new COVID-19 cases.
Among the 536 new infections, Mumbai districts reported the highest 110 infections, followed by 57 cases in the Thane district and 53 in the Pune district.
Of the eight regions of Maharashtra, the Mumbai region reported the highest 264 cases, followed by 125 from the Pune region and 107 from the Nashik region. Latur region reported 13 new infections while the remaining four other regions reported cases ranging from four to nine, the official said.
Mumbai region reported the highest 19 fatalities among the eight regions in the last 24 hours. Kolhapur and Akola regions witnessed a single COVID-19 fatality each while the remaining five regions saw no fresh death.
Mumbai city witnessed 110 new cases and four fatalities while Pune saw 53 cases, but no fresh fatality.
Presently, the highest number of 2,043 active cases are in two Mumbai districts. Among the 64,82,493 recovered patients, the highest 11,38,750 are from the Pune district.
Coronavirus figures for Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases 66,34,980, new cases 536, total deaths 1,40,962, fresh deaths 21, total recoveries 64,82,493, active cases 7,854, total tests conducted -6,54,20,117.
23:17 14-day quarantine for intl passengers from high-risk countries, says Kerala minister
International passengers from high-risk nations, which have reported cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, will have to undergo 14 days quarantine when they reach the state, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Monday.
George said those passengers found positive will be shifted to a treatment centre, set up by the state government on the directions of the union government.
"The passengers from the high-risk nations should undergo home quarantine for seven days. On the eighth day they should test again. If they are found negative, they need to remain under quarantine for seven more days," she told the media.
The minister said those found positive would be shifted the treatment centre and separate wards would be set up for them on the union government's direction.
"We have been regularly conducting genomic surveillance. We are testing whether there is any new variant in the state. As of now, we have not found one. If anyone coming from the high risk countries are found positive, their samples will be sent for genomic surveillance," she said.
George said five per cent of passengers coming from other countries will be tested randomly as per the directions issued by the union government.
"They should be under self-monitoring," she added.
The minister said details of the passengers arriving will be collected from the airport and handed over to the departments concerned to ensure home quarantine and contact tracing.
22:55 No MP govt nod yet to charge sheet Munawar Faruqui
The Madhya Pradesh police have been waiting since late January this year for the state government's nod to file a charge sheet against comedian Munawar Faruqui in a case registered against him in Indore for allegedly hurting sentiments of Hindus during a stand-up act, an official said on Monday.
Faruqui and four others were arrested on January 1 following a complaint by a BJP MLA's son that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed during a comedy show organised at a cafe in Indore on New Year's Day.
The comedian remained in the Indore's Central Jail for 35 days before he was released on February 6 after getting interim bail from the Supreme Court.
"We had sent a letter to the state government on January 29 this year for permission to present the charge sheet against Faruqui and four others in court. We haven't got approval yet," Tukoganj police station in-charge Kamlesh Sharma told PTI when asked about the latest status of the comedian's case.
After getting the state government's nod, a charge sheet under section 295-A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) will be presented against Faruqui and others in the court as the police investigation in the matter has been completed, Sharma added.
As per provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), it is necessary to take permission from the state government before a charge sheet is presented in the court in a case registered under IPC section 295-A, he explained.
Faruqui was recently denied permission by the Karnataka police for a show in Bengaluru over law and order considerations as some right-wing outfits objected.
Indore police officials said their counterparts from Karnataka had obtained information from them about the case registered here.
"We shared the details of the case registered against Faruqui in Indore with the Bengaluru police," he said.
Jack Dorsey
21:35 Parag Agrawal succeeds Jack Dorsey as Twitter CEO
Jack Dorsey has stepped down as Twitter CEO.
Dorsey also announced that Parag Agrawal would be the new CEO of the microblogging platform.
"After almost 16 years of having a role at our company from co-founder to CEO to Chair to Exec Chair to interim-CEO to CEO I decided it's finally time for me to leave. Parag (Parag Agrawal) is becoming our CEO," Dorsey said in an official note.
Details soon.
21:21 Foreign tourist arrivals dipped to 2.74 million in 2020 from 10.93 million in 2019: Govt
As many as 10.93 million foreign tourists came to India in 2019 but the number dropped to 2.74 million in 2020, while domestic tourist visits in the country fell from 2,32,19,82,663 in 2019 to 61,02,16,157 in 2020, the Ministry of Tourism said on Monday.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in China's Wuhan, spread to India and other parts of the world in 2020, prompting the government to suspend international flights in March that year.
"The number of foreign tourist arrivals during 2019 was 10.93 million, which decreased to 2.74 million in 2020. The number of domestic tourist visits in India during 2019 was 2,32,19,82,663, which decreased to 61,02,16,157 (in 2020)," Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
Responding to another question, he said the Ministry of Tourism under its 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme has sanctioned 76 projects under identified themes. Identification, promotion and development of tourism is primarily the responsibility of the state governments.
According to the third Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, the tourism sector contributes around 15 per cent to the total employment in the country, Reddy said.
20:51 Coast Guard seized drugs worth Rs 5516cr this year
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized drug consignments worth Rs 5,516 crore from boats and ships during the first 10 months of 2021, its spokesperson said on Monday.
"Drugs seized since inception (2009) has been worth Rs 11,524 crore. From January 1, 2021, to October 31, 2021, value of of narcotics seized was Rs 5,516.25 crore," ICG's spokesperson said in a statement here.
ICG Director General K Natarajan had on November 25 said most of the drug consignment comes to India through the Makran coast (in Pakistan).
"We have a certain amount of information and intelligence towards that," he had said.
The ICG works in close synergy with various agencies and as a result of which, it continues to maintain the surveillance of sensitive borders, be it with Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, he noted.
"Our presence has always been there and we continue to put almost 40-44 ships and 10-12 aircraft to maintain surveillance over 2.1 million sq km," he added.
As a result of which, in the last two years, the ICG has apprehended more than 3.5 tonnes of drugs coming through the sea route, he had noted.
Natarajan had said the drug smuggling activities that used to take place to the Gujarat coast and off the Lakshadweep coast have moved away beyond the equator.
"That is the success, not just for the ICG but various other agencies such as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), state fisheries authorities, port authorities and state intelligence agencies," he mentioned.
ANI Photo
20:03 Salman Khan visits Sabarmati Ashram, tries his hands on 'charkha'
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on Monday visited the Gandhi Ashram, also known as Sabarmati Ashram, here in Gujarat and tried his hands on a charkha, a khadi spinning wheel, an Ashram official said.
According to sources, Khan was in Ahmedabad for the promotion of his recently-released movie "Antim: The Final Truth".
Before visiting the multiplex where the movie is being screened, the actor visited the Ashram, which had been the home to Mahatma Gandhi between 1917 and 1930, said head of the IT and Technology, Sabarmati Ashram Preservation & Memorial Trust, Virat Kothari.
"It was purely his personal visit and was not part of his movie promotion. He followed all the protocols and rules during his visit. I apprised him about the history and importance of the Ashram and also showed him the Hriday Kunj, Gandhiji's room inside the Ashram," he said.
Khan, who was visiting the Ashram for the first time, was accompanied by movie director Mahesh Manjrekar.
When Khan could not produce a cotton thread properly on the charkha despite his keen interest in learning the technique, he told his instructor Pratimaben that he will come back again, without informing anyone, just to learn this technique, another instructor told reporters.
In his message in the visitors' book, Khan paid tribute to the Father of the Nation, saying he felt privileged to visit this place and hopes to "visit the Ashram again to learn more" in the future.
19:50 Permanent Commission to 557 women officers: Govt
As many as 557 women officers have been granted Permanent Commission (PC) in the Indian Army following a judgement by the Supreme Court in February last year, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, replying to a question, said there was no delay in granting Permanent Commission to any woman officer.
He said, "557 women officers have been granted Permanent Commission in Indian Army after the Supreme Court judgment dated February 17."
His reply came in response to a question on the number of women army officers who were granted Permanent Commission after the Supreme Court verdict.
To a specific question on the timeframe by which all 72 women officers will be accorded the PC, Bhatt added that "63 eligible women officers have been granted Permanent Commission as on November 25 in compliance of the judgement of the Supreme Court."
The Supreme Court in February last year had ordered the government to ensure that women officers are given a permanent commission (PC) in the Army.
19:07 Govt launches unique face recognition tech for pensioners
Minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh on Monday launched a 'unique' face recognition technology that would act as a proof of life certificate' for pensioners and ensure ease of living for the retired and elderly citizens.
All pensioners are mandated to submit their life certificate annually to continue receiving pension.
The ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions has already implemented a facility of giving the certificate digitally.
The central government has been sensitive to the needs of pensioners and to ensure ease of living for them. Soon after coming to power in 2014, the government decided to introduce and implement digital life certificate for the pensioners. This unique face recognition technology will further help pensioners, Singh said.
He said this face recognition technique of giving life certificate is a historic and far reaching reform since it will touch the lives of not only 68 lakh central government pensioners but also those under the EPFO and state governments, according to a statement issued by the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions.
Singh thanked the ministry of electronics and information technology as well as Unique Identification Authority of India for devising this technology and making such an initiative of the department of pension and pensioners' welfare possible. -- PTI
18:51 Oppn to meet on Parliament strategy tomorrow
Condemning the 'unwarranted and undemocratic' suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, floor leaders of Opposition parties of the Upper House said they will meet on Tuesday to deliberate on the future course of action to resist the government's 'authoritarian decision.'
The meeting will take place in the office of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.
The Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Shiv Sena, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Loktantrik Janada Dal, the Janata Dal-Secular, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Telangana Rasthriya Samithi and the Aam Aadmi Party are associated with the joint statement issued by the Opposition parties.
"The leaders of the Opposition parties unitedly condemn the unwarranted and undemocratic suspension of 12 members in violation of all the rules of procedure of Rajya Sabha pertaining to suspension of members for the entire duration of the winter session," the joint statement read.
"The motion moved by the government for suspending the members in regard to the unfortunate incident that occurred in the previous session is unprecedented and violates the rules of procedure and conduct of business of the council of states (Rajya Sabha). The floor leaders of Opposition parties of Rajya Sabha will meet tomorrow (Tuesday) to deliberate on the future course of action to resist the authoritarian decision of the government and defend Parliamentary democracy," it added.
"Leaders of Opposition parties are meeting tomorrow to discuss future course of action. If voices of those who raise voices for others are suppressed, it is like strangulating the democracy. We condemn it, all parties condemn it," LOP in Rajya Sabha Kharge said. -- ANI
18:34 Harjinder Singh Dhami new SGPC president
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee honorary chief secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday became the new president of the apex religious body of the Sikhs.
Dhami succeeded Bibi Jagir Kaur as the president of the SGPC.
The Shiromani Akali Dal had on Monday announced Kaur as party candidate from the Bholath assembly seat in Kapurthala district for the polls.
Dhami, a Badal family loyalist, is a member of the SGPC from Sham Chaurasi segment of Hoshiarpur district.
During a general house annual meeting of the SGPC at Teja Singh Samundri Hall in Amritsar, the name of Dhami was proposed by SGPC senior vice-president Surjit Singh Bhhitewad and another member Harwinder Singh Khalsa.
After his name was proposed for the SGPC chief's post, some members from the opposition camp raised an objection and demanded polling by secret ballot.
They proposed the name of Mithu Singh Kanekey for the SGPC chief's post.
Later, Dhami was polled 122 votes whereas Mithu Singh got 19 votes.
There were 142 members present in the House, in which members owing allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal, enjoy a majority. -- PTI
18:10 Australia pauses reopening borders after Omicron
The Australian government has delayed the reopening of the country's borders amid concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday night that the National Security Committee (NSC) has pushed the planned easing of border restrictions for international students and visa holders back from December 1 to December 15.
The decision was made based on advice from Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly to the NSC that more time was needed to evaluate whether Omicron poses a greater threat than the Delta variant.
"The temporary pause will ensure Australia can gather the information we need to better understand the Omicron variant, including the efficacy of the vaccine, the range of illness, including if it may generate more mild symptoms, and the level of transmission," said a joint statement by Morrison with cabinet ministers. -- ANI
17:55 Decision on Intl flights to be reviewed: Scindia
Amid the emergence of a new COVID variant, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday said the situation is being closely monitored and reviewed in consultation with other ministries regarding "any further decision" on resuming scheduled international passenger services.
On November 26, the government decided to restart scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India from December 15.
These services remain suspended since March 23 last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, on November 28, the government said the decision to resume the services will be reviewed in the wake of the cases of people getting infected with the COVID variant 'Omicron' in different parts of the world.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Scindia said the decision to resume the flights from December 15 was taken after recognising the increased vaccination coverage across the globe, changing nature of the pandemic and considering the health protocols, which have been put in place for international arrivals.
"However, in view of the evolving global scenario with the emergence of new variants of concern, the situation is being closely monitored and reviewed in consultation with other Ministries, with regard to taking any further decision on the issue," the minister said.
Currently, international passenger flights are being operated under bilateral air bubble arrangements with various countries in a restricted manner.
As on November 24, India had formalised air bubble arrangements with 31 countries. These arrangements provide air travel bubble arrangements provide direct/indirect connectivity to more than 100 countries, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said in a separate written reply to the Upper House.
To a query on whether airfares for returning students and family members from Europe and North America are doubling and even quadrupling this winter, Singh said that as per details of fare submitted by airlines, the average fares for travel by economy class under the air bubble arrangements are comparable to the average fares during the Winter 2019 schedule.
17:31 Happy Hanukkah
The husband of US vice president Kamala Harris lights up the internet with this message on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah which begins on November 28 and ends on December 6.
"From our family to yours, Happy Hanukkah," writes Douglas Emhoff, whose Twitter bio goes: Second Gentleman of the United States. Devoted dad. Proud husband to @VP Kamala Harris."
17:17 UK: Boosters for every adult in bid to save Christmas
As India continues to stay mum on booster shots for Covid vaccine, in the UK, millions more people will be offered booster jabs to maximise protection against the Omicron variant as ministers insisted that Britain will have a "great Christmas'.
Read the report here.
UK, EU has banned travellers from 7 S African countries
17:14 Omicron variant not detected in India yet: Govt
No case of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus has been detected in India yet, a senior government official said on Monday.
The B.1.1.529 Covid variant or Omicron, first detected in South Africa last week, was designated by the World Health Organisation as a 'variant of concern', the health body's top category for worrying coronavirus variants.
A senior official said no case of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus has been detected in India yet and Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia INSACOG is closely monitoring the situation and expediting the results of genomic analysis of positive samples of international travellers.
Amid the mounting concerns over the potentially more contagious coronavirus variant "Omicron' spreading to many countries, the Centre on Sunday introduced stricter guidelines for people travelling from or transiting through 'at-risk' countries and issued a slew of directions to the states for ramping up testing-surveillance measures and health facilities.
It also decided to review the resumption of international flights.
The countries designated as 'at-risk' (updated as of November 26, 2021) include European countries, the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel. PTI
Suspended Congress MP Ripun Bora
16:44 Oppn calls meet on suspension of 12 MPs
Opposition parties call a meeting on the next course of action, over the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, at LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's office tomorrow.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi - one of the 12 Rajya Sabha MPs suspended for this session of parliament -- says, "From District Court to Supreme Court, an accused is heard even there, lawyers are provided for them too, sometimes Govt officials are sent to take their version. Here our version wasn't taken."
Chhaya Verma, Rajya Sabha member, who was also suspended says, "This suspension is simply unfair and unjust. There were other members from other parties who created a ruckus but the chairman suspended me. PM Modi is doing just as he wishes since he enjoys a brute majority."
Adds Congress MP Ripun Bora, who was also suspended, "Yes, we had protested in the last session. We had protested for the cause of farmers, the poor people and as Parliamentarians, it is our duty to raise the voices of the oppressed, deprived. If we don't raise the voices in Parliament, where will we do that? This is totally undemocratic; murder of democracy and Constitution. We've not been given the opportunity to be heard. This is a one-sided, biased, vindictive decision. Opposition parties haven't been consulted."
Representational image
16:33 Sample of S Africa returnee different from Delta
Amid the Omicron variant of COVID-19 creating concern globally, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday said the sample of one of the two persons who arrived in Bengaluru recently from South Africa is 'different from the Delta variant'.
The minister said he was not supposed to say anything officially as he was still in touch with the union health ministry and the Indian Council for Medical Research officials. "There is a delta variant for the past nine months only, but you are saying that one of the samples is Omicron. I cannot say aboutit officially. I am in touch with the ICMR and central government officials," Sudhakar told reporters.
The sample has been sent to ICMR, he said. Refusing to divulge the identity of the man, the minister said his COVID report shows that he has contracted a different variant of the novel coronavirus.
"There is a 63-year-old man whose name I should not disclose. His report is a bit different. It appears different from the delta variant. We will discuss with the ICMR officials and will let people know by the evening what it is," the minister said. The minister said he would chair a marathon meeting on Tuesday with the officers of his department, from the Principal Secretary to the Primary Health Centre level doctors, regarding the steps to be taken.
He added that the members of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19 have also been invited for the meeting. Sudhakar also said that he has sought a detailed report on the Omicron variant.
"We will get a clear information on December 1 about how the Omicron behaves after the genomic sequencing. Accordingly we will initiate all measures," he explained.
16:13 Sensex advances 153 points amid Omicron worries
Benchmark BSE Sensex advanced by 153 points on Monday following gains in index heavyweights Reliance Industries and TCS, even as investors remained cautious over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreading to more countries.
In a volatile session, the 30-share Sensex closed higher by 153.43 points or 0.27 per cent to 57,260.58. The index had tanked more than 500 points or over 1 per cent in opening trade in line with weak global cues.
The broader NSE Nifty edged higher by 27.50 points or 0.16 per cent to end at 17,053.95.
Reliance Industries rose by 1.26 per cent after its telecom arm Jio announced a hike in prepaid tariffs from the next month. Bharti Airtel also advanced on reports that the recently announced tariff hikes would boost the financials of telecom firms. Kotak Bank rose the most among Sensex scrips, spurting 2.92 per cent amid reports that LIC will up its stake in the private lender to 10 per cent.
Gains in HCL Tech, TCS, Infosys, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance and Titan helped Sensex close in the green. On the other hand, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Axis Bank, Nestle, Bajaj Auto and SBI were among major losers.
Representational image
16:10 Maha COVID-19 patient who returned from SA kept in isolation
A 32-year-old man who tested positive for coronavirus here in Maharashtra after returning from South Africa has been kept in isolation at a civic COVID-19 care centre.
His sample has been sent for genome sequencing, amid concerns over the potentially more transmissible new 'Omicron' variant of the virus, an official said on Monday.
The result will be known after seven days, Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation's (KDMC) epidemic control officer Dr Pratibha Panpatil said.
It was not known so far where he had contracted the 'Omicron' variant of the virus, which was identified as the variant of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the official said. KDMC Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryavanshi has appealed to citizens of the Kalyan-Dombivli township not to panic due to the recent developments and strictly adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols.
The man, a Merchant Navy engineer, arrived in Dombivli town of Thane district on November 24 after travelling from South Africa, Dubai and Delhi.
16:03 In LS, BJP members greet PM with 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'; Oppn shouts 'Jai Kisan'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday greeted by members of the BJP with thumping of desks and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan as he entered the Lok Sabha chamber on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament. Members for the Opposition raised the 'Jai Kisan' slogan.
The prime minister reached the Lok Sabha minutes before the House met for the day. It is usual for BJP and its allies to greet the prime minister with slogans and thumping of benches when he enters the House on day one of the Parliament session.
The Lok Sabha later passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021, amid din by Opposition members who were demanding a discussion on the draft legislation and farmers' issue. PTI
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi
16:01 12 MPs suspended for winter session of Parl
12 opposition MPs suspended for parliament's Winter session for "violent behaviour" in previous session.
These MPs include: Six Cong MPs - Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Hussain, Akhilesh Singh; Elamaram Kareem from CPM and Binoy Viswam from CPI, and Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena and Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri.
15:58 Journalist Vinod Dua 'beyond critical': Daughter
Veteran journalist Vinod Dua, who was hospitalised with Covid earlier this year, is in the ICU and his condition is "beyond critical", his daughter, actor-comic Mallika Dua, said on Monday.
The 67-year-old journalist, a pioneer in broadcast Hindi journalism with stints in Doordarshan and NDTV, lost his wife, radiologist Padmavati 'Chinna' Dua, in June after a prolonged battle with Covid.
"My Papaji is beyond critical in the ICU. His health had been deteriorating rapidly since April. He also is unable to come to terms with losing the light of his life. He has lived an extraordinary life and given us the same. He deserves no pain. He is immensely loved and revered and I request you all to pray that he experiences as little pain as possible," Mallika Dua wrote.
Vinod Dua and his wife were in a hospital in Gurgaon when the second Covid wave was at its peak. The journalist's health has suffered ever since and he has been in and out of hospitals. The couple is also parents to elder daughter Bakul Dua, a clinical psychologist. PTI
15:20 13 omicron cases in Portuguese soccer team
Portuguese health authorities said Monday they have identified 13 cases of omicron, the new coronavirus variant believed to be more contagious, among team members of a professional soccer club.
The Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute said Monday that one of those who tested positive at the Lisbon-based Belenenses soccer club had recently travelled to South Africa, where the omicron variant was first identified.
The others, however, had not traveled to South Africa, indicating that this may be one of the very first cases of local transmission of the virus outside of southern Africa. Those who have been in contact with the positive cases have been ordered to isolate, regardless of their vaccination status or their exposure to possible contagion, and will be regularly tested for COVID-19, the institute said.
As cases of a new coronavirus variant are confirmed around the world, Japan announced Monday that it will suspend entry of all foreign visitors, joining an increasing number of countries that are tightening their borders as fear spreads of yet another extension of pandemic suffering.
15:18 WHO warns of 'very high risk' from Omicron
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned the Omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a "very high" risk globally, and could lead to severe consequences in some regions.
"If another major surge of Covid-19 takes place driven by Omicron, consequences may be severe," it said in a technical note, adding however that "to date, no deaths linked to Omicron variant have been reported".
It confirmed previous reports that the variant had an unprecedented number of spike mutations, but added there were considerable uncertainties about the effect these could have.
The WHO said it expected more data within the coming weeks, and called on member states to make sure they were able to maintain health services even if the number of cases started to rise.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that scientists around the world were working to understand the Omicron variant.
The emergence of the new variant will also be discussed by G7 health ministers on Monday.
14:44 Saudi withdraws ban on travel from India: Govt
Saudi Arabia has withdrawn its ban on travellers from India, the Centre on Monday informed the Kerala high court during hearing of a plea by a man seeking a third jab of an internationally accepted vaccine so that he can go back to the Gulf nation for work.
The man had received two doses of Covaxin which was earlier not recognised by Saudi Arabia and had moved the high court, seeking directions to the state and the Centre to administer him a third dose of an internationally recognised vaccine like Covishield.
The petitioner was working as a welder in the Gulf nation prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The high court had earlier asked the Centre that if a citizen loses their livelihood due to the vaccine administered by the State, is the government not duty bound to redress his grievance?
On Monday, the central government informed Justice P V Kunhikrishnan that Saudi Arabia has withdrawn its travel ban on India and therefore, the plea has become infructuous.
Taking note of the submission, the court disposed of the plea.
The court had on an earlier date of hearing said that restriction of movement or loss of employment of a citizen due to a vaccine administered by the State was an 'infringement of his Fundamental Rights'.
On November 2, the high court had observed that the Centre's vaccination scheme has created two classes of citizens in India -- those who got Covaxin, whose movements are restricted, and those who received Covishield and can go anywhere. -- PTI
14:25 Rajya Sabha passes farm laws repeal bill
The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday, the first day of the winter session of the Parliament.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar tabled the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 in Rajya Sabha soon after resumption after the temporary adjournment. Notably, the Bill was already circulated among Rajya Sabha members on Friday.
Meanwhile, the 'Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021' was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.
In an address to the nation on November 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repealing of the three Central farm laws on the day of Guru Nanak Jayanti. The bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet last week.
14:16 Pak plans Pfizer boosters amid Omicron threat
Amid the global concern of the new COVID variant omicron, Pakistan's Sindh province has decided to inoculate all people with a booster shot of Pfizer.
"The decision has been taken but the department is yet to make required arrangements for this purpose and announce a date for its launch," Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported citing a health official.
The booster jab would be offered to people who were already vaccinated with any of the Chinese vaccines, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Cansino, he added.
14:10 Scotland reports 6 new cases of Omicron variant
The Scottish government has announced the discovery of six new cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus, taking the U.K. total to nine.
It said Monday it has asked public health authorities to undertake enhanced contact tracing in all cases.
Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said authorities need to be cautious" until more is known about the variant. Over the weekend, health authorities found three cases of the variant, which prompted the British government to tighten rules on mask-wearing and testing of arrivals in the country.
14:06 Dengue cases in Delhi this year mount to over 8,200
Dengue cases in Delhi this season has jumped to over 8,200, with more than 6,700 of those being recorded in November alone, according to a civic report released on Monday.
On November 17, the city had recorded a cumulative total of 5,277 dengue cases, making it the highest number of cases of the vector-borne disease recorded in the national capital in a year since 2015.
The number of cases had mounted 7,128 on November 22. Nearly 1,148 fresh cased have been logged in the last one week, however, no fresh fatality due to dengue has been reported.
According to the civic report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday, a total of 8,276 dengue cases have been recorded this season till November 27.
13:50 Govt repeals Farm Laws without discussion
Omar Abdullah on the Lok Sabha repealing the Farm Laws: 'Passed without discussion; repealed without discussion. A new model of democracy for a new India. #FarmLawsRepealed #FarmLaws."
The Congress on Monday attacked the government over the passage of the farm laws repeal bill in the Lok Sabha without a discussion, charging that all parliamentary norms have been "thrown to the wind".
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked why the government was shying away from a discussion on the bill, when the opposition was supporting them. A bill to repeal the three contentious farm laws, against which farmers have been protesting for over a year, was passed by the Lok Sabha within minutes of introduction on Monday.
The Congress has also demanded that there should be legal guarantee for the minimum support price to farmers and that compensation should be granted to farmers who suffered during the agitation and lost their lives, Chowdhury told reporters outside Parliament.
He said the Congress has also demanded that all "false" cases lodged against farmers during their year long agitation should be withdrawn immediately.
India is yet to ban travel from S Africa
13:46 Omicron fears: Search on for Botswana woman in MP
In the wake of concerns over the potentially more contagious new 'Omicron' variant of coronavirus detected in some countries, Madhya Pradesh health authorities have launched a search for a woman from Bostwana who, as per government records, visited Jabalpur on November 18, an official said on Monday.
"An official from the Bostwana Embassy told us over phone that she is in isolation at a military organisation in Jabalpur. We have asked him to share her mobile phone number and her local contact," Jabalpur Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Ratnesh Kurariya told PTI.
"Efforts were on to trace the woman, named Khuno Oremeet Selyn as per the record, according to the Union government's health surveillance guidelines (to check the spread of COVID-19)," he said.
The woman came to Jabalpur from Delhi, as per the record shared with us by the central government, he said. The location of her mobile number mentioned in Jabalpur's Dumna airport record was traced to Delhi.
The police investigation suggests that the phone has not been moved out of Delhi since last one month, the official said.
The CCTV footage of the Jabalpur airport is being examined to find the woman, he said. Information was also being gathered from hotels in Jabalpur and neighbouring districts, he said.
Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa, where Omicron has been detected. The WHO last week described Omicron as a variant of concern and its detection has caused fear around the globe that it could resist vaccines and prolong the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the surveillance process, the Union government was regularly providing the list of visitors coming to Jabalpur from abroad, Dr Kurariya said. Last month, 164 people from the United Kingdom visited Jabalpur and they were contacted and asked about their health, he said.
Jabalpur reported the first coronavirus case in the state on March 30 last year, when three people who returned from Dubai and Germany tested positive for the infection. PTI
13:32 No proposal to recognise Bitcoin as currency: FM
The government has no proposal to recognise Bitcoin as a currency in the country, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday. She also informed the House that the government does not collect data on Bitcoin transactions.
Whether the government has any proposal to recognise Bitcoin as a currency in the country, the Finance Minister said "No, sir".
Bitcoin is a digital currency that allows people to buy goods and services and exchange money without involving banks, credit card issuers or other third parties.
It was introduced in 2008 by an unidentified group of programmers as a cryptocurrency as well as an electronic payment system. It is reportedly the first decentralised digital currency where peer-to-peer transactions take place without any intermediary.
Siraj ud-Daulah
13:14 Masters of the Musnud
In the circular throne room of Hazarduari, or the palace of a thousand doors, in Murshidabad sits a solid silver chair on a marble platform whose fretwork shows signs of having once been gilded. That intricately carved chair, shaded by an intricately worked silver umbrella, used to be the seat of the nawabs of Bengal.
Read more here.
13:09 Benchmark should be how Parliament functioned: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the benchmark for assessment should be how Parliament functioned and not how forcefully it was disrupted, as he asserted that the dignity of the House and the Chair should be maintained.
Speaking with reporters ahead of the start of the Winter Session, Modi said the government is ready to discuss all issues and answer all questions.
He said citizens want that in this session as well as in the future ones, Parliament debates on issues of national interest and finds ways for development of the country in the spirit of those who fought for India's independence. The prime minister hoped that this session leads to decisions that have a positive and far-reaching impact.
"I hope that in future, benchmark should be how the House functioned, how much contribution was made and not who made how much efforts to forcefully disrupt the session...benchmark should be how much productive work happened during the session," Modi said.
The government is ready to discuss all issues and also answer all questions, he said, adding that as the country marks 75 years of India's independence "we would want that questions are raised in Parliament and also decorum is maintained".
Voices against government and its policies should be as forceful as possible but dignity of Parliament and the Chair should be maintained, the prime minister said. He called for maintaining the sort of conduct in Parliament that would inspire younger generations.
12:48 Bailable warrant against Param Bir Singh cancelled
The Justice Chandiwal Commission has cancelled a bailable warrant against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in connection with corruption allegations against former Maharashtra HM Anil Deshmukh.
The Commission has asked former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh to deposit Rs 15,000 in the Chief Minister's relief fund within a week for not appearing before the Commission earlier.
Param Bir Singh, through his lawyers, files an affidavit before the Chandiwal Commission stating that neither does he have any evidence to produce before the Commission nor does he want to cross-examine any witness in the case.
Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh on Monday appeared before the commission probing corruption allegations against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Following Singh's appearance, the Justice K U Chandiwal Commission cancelled the bailable warrant issued against him and asked him to deposit Rs 15,000 in the chief minister's relief fund.
The one-member commission was formed in March this year to probe the allegations levelled by Singh against the then home minister and NCP leader Deshmukh.
The panel had earlier fined Singh on multiple occasions for failing to appear before it and also issued a bailable warrant against him. Singh, who was transferred from the post of Mumbai police commissioner in March in the aftermath of the Antilia bomb scare episode, had alleged that Deshmukh asked police officers to collect Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants in the city.
Declared absconding by a court here in an extortion case, Singh surfaced in public last Thursday after six months, and appeared before the Mumbai crime branch to record his statement.
The Supreme Court has granted him temporary protection from arrest. Singh appeared before Thane police on Friday in connection with an extortion case filed against him and some other police officials on the complaint of a local builder. The IPS officer is facing at least five extortion cases in Maharashtra.
12:43 7 children in Goa juvenile detention centre contract COVID-19
Seven children at a state-run juvenile detention centre in Goa have tested positive for coronavirus, a senior official said on Monday.
All protocols were being followed and a team of doctors was monitoring the infected children's health regularly at the facility, located on the outskirts of the state capital Panaji, North Goa District Collector Ajit Roy told PTI.
"There is nothing to worry," he said. The seven children from the 'Apna Ghar' juvenile detention centre tested positive for the coronavirus infection over the weekend, he said. The area has not been declared as a micro-containment zone as the "infection spread is within one house", the official said.
12:21 Sensex, Nifty pare losses in choppy trade; Reliance, TCS advance
Key stock indices Sensex and Nifty pared early losses in late morning deals on Monday following gains in Reliance Industries, HCL Tech and TCS.
In a highly volatile market, the 30-share index BSE Sensex was trading higher by 375.23 points or 0.66 per cent at 57,482.38 points at 1140 hours.
The index had tanked more than 500 points or over 2 per cent in opening trade in line with weak global cues.
The index swung between losses and gains in morning deals amid high volatility. The broader NSE Nifty also rose by 108 points or 0.63 per cent to 17,134.55 points on the back of gains in oil & gas, telecom, IT and select banking stocks. Reliance Industries jumped by 2.66 per cent in morning trade after its telecom arm Jio announced around 21 per cent hike in its prepaid tariff plans from December 1.
Reports that the oil major is mulling a bid to acquire a British telecom company also boosted the stock. Bharti Airtel also advanced 0.27 per cent after a tariff hike last week, which analysts said would help boost the financials of telecom firms.
Airtel and Vodafone Idea last week had announced up to 25 per cent hike in prepaid plans. Private bank IndusInd Bank rose by up to 1 per cent after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed promoters to hold 26 per cent stake in private banks after 15 years.
IT stocks also recovered from early lows. HCL Tech was up by 3.18 per cent, TCS by 1.92 per cent, and Infosys by 1.11 per cent. Dr Reddy, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Bank, ICCI Bank, Titan, Tata Steel and Tech Mahindra also advanced.
Among losers, HDFC dropped 1 per cent, Nestle by 1.24 per cent, ITC by 0.8 per cent, Axis Bank by 0.73 per cent and HUL by 0.59 per cent.
700 farmers died protesting against the Farm laws
12:19 Lok Sabha repeals Farm Laws
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar tables the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha.
The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 passed by Lok Sabha amid ruckus by Opposition MPs.
Leader of Congress Party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demands discussion on the Bill in the House.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 2pm today.
Speaker Om Birla had requested Opposition MPs to bring the House in order to allow any discussion before the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 was passed.
11:51 LS is an attractive place to work, quips Tharoor
On the 1st day of the winter session of Parliament, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram poses with his colleagues, writing, "Who says the Lok Sabha isn't an attractive place to work? With six of my fellow MPs this morning: @supriya_sule @preneet_kaur @ThamizhachiTh @mimichakraborty @nusratchirps @JothimaniMP."
The 25-day Winter Session of parliament, during which 36 bills are expected to be passed including one to cancel the farm laws, will begin today. The opposition is likely to corner the government on issues including the Pegasus row and price rise.
11:39 Congress raises slogans against govt in Parliament complex
Congress MPs led by party chief Sonia Gandhi and former president Rahul Gandhi on Monday staged a protest in Parliament complex over the issue of farm laws.
The Congress President earlier addressed MPs of both the houses in the office of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Party leaders then marched towards Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the complex and raised slogans against the Central government and the prime minister. The Congress MPs held a banner saying,
"We demand repeal of black farm laws". The Congress has been demanding an immediate repeal of the three farm laws and will press for a law to legalise MSP for farmers, besides providing compensation to families of farmers who died during the year-long protests against the farm laws at Delhi borders. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill is slated to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.-- PTI
11:28 NZ reports 182 new community cases of Covid Delta variant
New Zealand reported 182 new Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in the community on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country's current community outbreak to 8,298.
Among the new infections, 167 were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, 10 in nearby Waikato, and five in Northland, according to the Ministry of Health.
A total of 93 cases are being treated in hospitals, including 10 in intensive care units or high dependency units, a ministry statement said.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Zealand stands at 11,074 currently, according to the health ministry.
11:18 LS adjourned till noon moments after session opens
Winter Session of Parliament begins in both Houses and moments later Lok Sabha is adjourned till noon following sloganeering by Opposition MPs.
Earlier, PM Modi held a meeting with senior cabinet members including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
11:06 Merriam-Webster chooses vaccine as the 2021 word of the year
With an expanded definition to reflect the times, Merriam-Webster has declared an omnipresent truth as its 2021 word of the year: vaccine.
This was a word that was extremely high in our data every single day in 2021, Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor-at-large, told The Associated Press ahead of Monday's announcement.
It really represents two different stories. One is the science story, which is this remarkable speed with which the vaccines were developed. But there's also the debates regarding policy, politics and political affiliation. It's one word that carries these two huge stories, he said.
The selection follows vax as word of the year from the folks who publish the Oxford English Dictionary. And it comes after Merriam-Webster chose pandemic as tops in lookups last year on its online site.
The pandemic was the gun going off and now we have the aftereffects, Sokolowski said. At Merriam-Webster, lookups for vaccine increased 601 per cent over 2020, when the first U.S. shot was administered in New York in December after quick development, and months of speculation and discussion over efficacy. The world's first jab occurred earlier that month in the UK.
10:57 TMC to expand political base across Northeast ahead of 2024 LS polls
Meghalaya TMC leader Mukul Sangma said that Mamata Banerjee's party is looking forward to expanding its political base across the Northeast ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The former Meghalaya chief minister, who recently switched over to the TMC along with 11 other Congress MLAs, told PTI in an interview that the political dynamics in the entire region is going to change with him quitting the grand old party.
"I have been holding talks with leaders from other states in the region. They have been calling me up following the political decision that we have taken. This indicates that they are looking for something new in their respective states," he said.
The six-times MLA said that former assembly speaker Charles Pyngrope is likely to be TMC state president, while he, as the legislature party leader, will focus on taking on the government head-on, as well as expanding the party in other neighbouring states.
The 12 TMC MLAs have left for Kolkata on Sunday to meet party chief Mamata Banerjee and other senior leaders to finalise the roles of Sangma and Pyngrope. Noting that his joining a new political party was long overdue, Sangma said that the 'lahe lahe' (slowly slowly in Assamese) attitude of Congress has resulted in an exodus of its leaders.
10:37 PM asks for productive session of parliament
PM Modi speaks ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament to begin today: "This is an important session of the Parliament. The citizens of the country want a productive session. They are fulfilling their responsibilities for a brighter future.
"Our government is ready to answer all questions during the Winter Session of the Parliament. We should debate in the Parliament, and maintain the decorum of the proceedings."
The 25-day Winter Session of parliament, during which 36 bills are expected to be passed including one to cancel the farm laws, will begin today. The opposition is likely to corner the government on issues including the Pegasus row and price rise.
10:31 67 residents of old age home test Covid+ve
Around 67 people including 5 staff members found COVID-19 positive at an old age home in the Bhiwandi area of Thane district. They have been admitted to a government hospital. "At least 59 people were fully vaccinated," Dr Kailash Pawar, Civil surgeon, Thane Civil Hospital, said.
10:29 Oppn meets ahead of Parl session
A meeting of opposition parties called by Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge underway in the Parliament premises.
10:20 RT-PCR must for flyers from 'at-risk' countries
Passengers travelling from or transiting through 'at-risk' countries will have to undergo RT-PCR test on arrival in India and will be required to wait for the results before leaving the airport or taking a connecting flight, according to revised guidelines issued on Sunday after the emergence of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Travellers coming from countries other than those listed as 'at risk' will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival, but five per cent of them will be randomly tested at the airport, the revised guidelines issued by the Union health ministry stated.
The airlines concerned should identify the five per cent of such travellers to be tested in each flight, preferably from different countries.
Such travellers shall be escorted by the airlines or the Ministry of Civil Aviation authorities to the testing area on arrival and the cost of testing of such travellers shall be borne by the ministry.
The existing guidelines have been revised in view of reporting of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, named Omicron (B.1.1.529), which has been now classified as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organisation, the health ministry said.
This standard operating procedure shall be valid from December 1 till further orders.
The revised guidelines will supersede earlier ones issued on and after November 11.
According to the revised guidelines, before boarding passengers originating from or transiting through at-risk countries shall be informed by the airlines that they will undergo post-arrival testing, quarantine if tested negative, stringent isolation protocols if tested positive, etc.
Do's and Don'ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travellers by the airlines/agencies concerned and airlines will allow boarding of only those passengers who have filled in the self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report.
This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.
At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening and all passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.
'Travellers from specified countries at risk will follow the protocol as detailed below: Submission of sample for post-arrival COVID-19 test at the point of arrival (self-paid). Such travellers will be required to wait for their test results at the arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
'If tested negative they will follow home quarantine for 7 days. Re-test on the 8th day of arrival in India and if negative, further self-monitor of their health for next seven days,' the guidelines stated.
However, if such travellers test positive, their samples should be sent for genomic testing at the INSACOG laboratory network.
They shall be managed at separate isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol, including contact tracing, and the contacts of such positive case should be kept under institutional quarantine or at home quarantine monitored strictly by the state government concerned.
The countries (at risk updated as on November 26, 2021) from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India include European countries, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.
Children under five years of age remain exempted from both pre- and post-arrival testing.
However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.
According to the guidelines, contacts of the suspect case are the co-passengers seated in the same row, three rows in front and three rows behind along with identified cabin crew.
Also, all the community contacts of those travellers who have tested positive during home quarantine period would be subjected to quarantine for 14 days and tested as per ICMR protocol.
International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently. -- PTI
09:28 Farm laws repeal bill in both Houses today
The bill to repeal three farm laws is likely to be taken up in Rajya Sabha on Monday itself after it is passed by Lok Sabha on the first day of the Winter Session, sources said on Sunday.
The Farm Laws Repeal Bill-2021 has been listed in Lok Sabha for consideration and passage.
Sources said after the bill is passed in Lok Sabha, it will be taken up in the Upper House of Parliament.
The bill seeks to repeal the three farm laws against which farmers have been protesting for over a year now.
The bill's objects and statement says that 'as we celebrate the 75th year of Independence -'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the need of the hour is to take everyone together on the path of inclusive growth and development'.
'In view of the above, the aforesaid farm laws are proposed to be repealed. It is also proposed to omit sub-section (IA) of section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of 1955) which was inserted vide the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 (22 of 2020),' the bill further states.
The opposition has demanded that the bill should be taken up on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament starting Monday. -- PTI
Tom Nicholson/Reuters
09:22 Third Omicron case detected in UK
A third case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in the United Kingdom, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Sunday.
The latest case, like the two others, is linked to travel to southern Africa, where the variant was identified, but the individual is no longer in the UK.
However, the UKHSA revealed that the individual spent time in the Westminster area of central London before departure and also warned that it is very likely more cases of the new potentially highly infectious variant will be detected over the coming days as a result of focussed contact tracing.
The UKHSA information came soon after the UK government had announced that face coverings will become a compulsory requirement in shops and public transport in England from Tuesday, as part of the tighter COVID-19 curbs being enforced in response to two cases of the new Omicron variant detected in the country.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the requirement of compulsory PCR tests to be taken by all overseas arrivals into the UK will also be enforced as soon as possible.
The minister asserted that he expects all the new measures, being introduced to give scientists more time to analyse the infectiousness and vaccine-resistance levels of Omicron, to be lifted again 'within weeks'.
"The reason we've set out these measures yesterday is to protect the progress we've made so we can all continue to enjoy Christmas with our families," said Javid, with reference to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement of the stricter curbs from Downing Street on Saturday evening.
"This is about protecting the progress we've made... But it's important to react in a proportionate, and also a temporary way, I hope this is something we can remove within weeks," he said.
In other parts of the United Kingdom Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland face coverings are already mandatory on public transport and many indoor settings.
The Opposition Labour Party has expressed concern that the new rules don't go far enough to impose the government's so-called Plan B, which would see work from home directions and vaccine passports for venues.
"If one was to make decisions like that they'd have to be made very, very carefully, we're not there yet, we're nowhere near that," Javid told Sky News.
The new measures have raised fears over another locked down Christmas but both Johnson and Javid have sought to downplay those worries and insisted the 2021 festive period would be better than 2020.
"People should continue with their plans as normal for Christmas, I think it's going to be a great Christmas," said Javid.
The Omicron variant, feared to spread faster and partially reduce vaccine protection, was identified in South Africa earlier this week and classed as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Since then cases have been detected in Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong, and in Europe as well as the two cases in England.
Both UK cases have been linked to travel in southern Africa, and targeted testing is planned in the surrounding areas of south and central England where the variant was detected.
It's more vital than ever that people get their jabs, and we get those boosters into arms as fast as possible, Johnson said on Saturday, as he announced a plan to boost the booster campaign.
We are already planning to do 6 million jabs in England alone over the next three weeks. And now we are looking to go further, so the Health Secretary has asked the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) to consider giving boosters to as wide a group as possible, as well as reducing the gap between your second dose and your booster, he said.
We don't yet exactly know how effective our vaccines will be against Omicron, but we have good reasons for believing they will provide at least some measure of protection. And if you are boosted your response is likely to be stronger, he added.
Meanwhile, the UK has banned air travel from 10 countries now Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Besides, anyone who enters the UK from abroad will now be required to take a PCR test and self-isolate until they get a negative result. And those who come into contact with someone who tests positive for the Omicron variant will need to self-isolate for 10 days even if they are fully vaccinated.
The new variant is considered potentially more dangerous because it has around twice as many mutations as the highly transmissible Delta variant, but it could take weeks for scientists to fully understand the variant's mutations and whether existing vaccines and treatments are effective against it. -- PTI
08:44 South Africa-return Mumbai man tests Covid +ve
A man who returned from South Africa to Dombivali in Thane district of Maharashtra recently has tested positive for coronavirus, a Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) official said on Sunday.
It is not confirmed whether the patient was carrying the Omicron variant of coronavirus, which was identified as the variant of concern by the WHO, the official said.
The man had travelled from Cape Town to Dombivali on November 24.
"He underwent a COVID-19 test which returned positive," the official added.
The man didn't come in contact with anyone after returning from South Africa, Dr Pratiba Panpatil, Medical Officer, KDMC, told reporters.
The patient is currently admitted at the Art Gallery isolation centre of the KDMC, the official said.
"The KDMC health department is on alert. We are prepared to deal with the new variant," Dr Panpail added. -- PTI
TOP STORIES
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances