At least six members of India’s squad — three players and three support staff members, including a coaching staff member — in Ahmedabad have been diagnosed COVID-19 positive ahead of Sunday’s first ODI versus the West Indies.
Editorial | A dose of realism: On COVID-19 surge post Omicron
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the updates:
Schools to reopen for Class VIII and above in Odisha on Feb. 7
The Odisha government decided to reopen schools and hostels for classes VIII and above from February 7. Lower classes from kindergarten to VII would be reopened from February 14. Options of both physical and hybrid mode of teaching would be available for students. — Satya Sundar Barik
India reports over 1.72 lakh fresh COVID-19 cases, 1,008 fatalities
With 1,72,433 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,18,03,318, while the active cases decreased to 15,33,921, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll climbed to 4,98,983 with 1,008 daily fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases constitute 3.67% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate decreased to 95.14%, the health ministry said.
A reduction of 87,682 cases was recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 10.99% while the weekly positivity rate was 12.98%, according to the health ministry.
The number of recoveries rose to 3,97,70,414, while the case fatality rate was 1.19%. -PTI
France to start using Pfizer's COVID-19 drug, first in EU
France says it will start administering Pfizer's coronavirus antiviral drug this week, the first pill for treating COVID-19 approved in the 27-nation EU.
The country is still reporting among the world's highest per-capita daily infections, but virus-related critical care hospitalizations are easing, and the French government on Wednesday started lifting restrictions related to the surge in omicron cases. -AP
New Zealand to end quarantine stays and reopen its borders
Zealand's government on Thursday said it will end its quarantine requirements for incoming travelers and reopen its borders, a change welcomed by thousands of citizens abroad who have endured long waits to return home.
Since the start of the pandemic, New Zealand has enacted some of the world's strictest border controls. Most incoming travelers need to spend 10 days in a quarantine hotel room run by the military, a requirement that has created a bottleneck at the border. -AP
