Two new cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed in Odisha. Two returnees from Nigeria and Qatar have been found positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The COVID-19 nodal official in Cuttack said that the man who returned from Nigeria is double-vaccinated and those who came in contact with him have been found negative upon testing.

Accrding to the figures by the Ministry of Health released on Tuesday morning, India has 20 cases of the Omicron variant now, of which 77 infected have been discharged from hospital. The maximum cases of the variant are from Maharashtra and Delhi. In Maharashtra, 28 of the 54 infected have recovered, while Delhi Health Minister Satyenda Jain said that 34 new cases of the variant have been detected in Delhi.

All of the cases in Delhi were found in people admitted to LNJP hospital in the capital. Of the 54 cases admittd here, 17 have been discharged. Jain also said that of these infected, three were those who had no travel history and neither have they travelled abroad.

Domestic vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech, meanwhile, has sought approval for trials of its nasal-based anti-coronavirus vaccine from the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India).

Union health Minister Masukh Mandaviya said that 45 crore Covid vaccines will be produced in the country every month within the next two months. This capacity is presently 31 crore. He also said that until now, 88% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine whereas 58% are fully vaccinated.

The impact of the new Omicron variant is not as severe in India as in some other countries like South Africa, where the variant was first discovered, and the United States, where it has now been confirmed as the dominant strain of the coronavirus. Of the samples sent for genome sequencing, 73% have been found positive for the Omicron variant. 12 people have also died of the variant in the United Kingdom (UK).

The WHOs chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also said that ht eorganization now has “consistent evidence” that the Omicron variant spreads faster than ite Delta counterpart and can reinfect those who are double-vaccinated and previously recovered from COVID-19.