Kerala on Wednesday reported nine fresh cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, taking the state's tally to 24, the joint third-highest with Telangana. Kerala health minister Veena George informed that six persons who arrived in Ernakulam from foreign countries were found infected with the new variant of concern, reported news agency ANI. The other three cases were detected after the international travellers arrived at Thiruvananthapuram.n Ernakulam, two of the Omicron cases had travelled from the United Kingdom while a woman and a boy had arrived from Tanzania. The remaining two travellers, both female, arrived from Ghana and Ireland. In Thiruvananthapuram, a married couple and a woman had travelled from Nigeria, the health minister said.
Meanwhile, owing to the persistent rise in Covid cases, the Delhi government has banned mass gatherings during Christmas and New Year. The government said the district magistrates and district Disaster Management authority would be responsible for controlling the disease." All district magistrates shall conduct an intensive survey of the entire area falling under their jurisdiction and identify those pockets, markets and crowded places which have the potential of becoming superspreaders of coronavirus and its Omicron variant," the DDMA said in the order. It stated all DMs and DCPs shall deploy a sufficient number of enforcement teams on the field to keep utmost vigil at public places to enforce strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid any possible surge in Covid-19 cases. The Omicron spread in India has worried the Centre, prompting it to ask states to be on guard. Meanwhile, most states, like Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, have reinforced Covid restrictions to stem the Omicron spread in India.