Coronavirus Omicron variant India live updates: At 678, India sees 3rd wave’s highest daily toll

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said the number of COVID-19 cases had begun declining statewide and predicted that the third wave of the pandemic might get over by the second or third week of March.He said the state, which was reporting 48,000 cases per day during the third wave which started some weeks ago, was now seeing the tally increase by 15,000 daily, adding that the infection curve was flattening in major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Raigad.Speaking to reporters here, the minister said the Centre must start the process of vaccinating children in the 12-15 age segment against COVID-19. He said Maharashtra was ready with the health infrastructure to vaccinate this age group.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was moved in Delhi High Court has sought direction to the Centre to reduce the gap between the second dose and proposed third dose/precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine from 39 weeks (nine months) to three months for frontline workers and senior citizens.The Bench of Justices DN Patel and Jyoti Singh on Friday said it's a policy matter of the Government while refusing to consider the issue. Advocate appeared for Petitioner Dishank Dhawan submitted that though waiting of nine months for a booster is not backed by any scientific evidence. On the contrary, WHO has said vaccination efficacy is about three months and the new sub-variant of Omicron which is deadlier and infectious has already infected 56 countries.

People who are triple-vaccinated against COVID-19 develop a high-quality antibody response which can neutralise the Omicron variant efficiently, according to a study.This also applies to people who are infected with the virus thrice, to those having recovered and then received two vaccinations, and to double-vaccinated individuals who experience a breakthrough infection, the researchers said.The study, published recently in the journal Nature Medicine, tracked the antibodies of vaccinated and recovered individuals for two years.

Two top Singaporean government functionaries-- a minister and a parliamentary secretary-- have tested positive for COVID-19 as the country continues to witness a surge in the number of coronavirus cases, according to a media report on Friday.Minister of State for Communications and Information and National Development Tan Kiat How and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Social and Family Development Eric Chua confirmed that they were diagnosed with the coronavirus infection this week, the Channel News Asia reported.

A recent study has found that the brains of a small sample of patients who died of COVID-19 displayed some of the same molecular changes found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.The study has been published in the 'Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association'.

Pakistan on Friday recorded 48 deaths in the last 24 hours from Covid-19 infections, the highest death toll since October 7. As per the National Command and Operation's Centre (NCOC) data showed on Friday morning, the overall death toll reached 29,420, reported Geo News. The graph indicates a consistent increase in hospitalisation, with 1,618 patients in critical care, but the positivity rate has remained below 10 per cent for the fourth consecutive day.

Demand for gold is expected to reach pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels in 2022 aided by higher savings, increased mobility and stable price levels, said Chirag Mehta, Senior Fund Manager-Alternative Investments at Quantum Mutual Fund.Pent-up demand for gold started in 2021. "Even as the Fed is sounding more hawkish every day and Covid-19 is most likely behind us, demand for the yellow metal is getting support from higher inflation, market volatility, US-Russia tensions over Ukraine and the drop in Bitcoin," Mehta said in a report.

Duration of night curfew reduced by one hour (between 11 pm & 5 am).