{"id":1171786,"date":"2021-12-30T07:19:41","date_gmt":"2021-12-30T12:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1171786"},"modified":"2021-12-30T07:19:43","modified_gmt":"2021-12-30T12:19:43","slug":"cases-drop-recovery-rate-rises-in-india-where-omicron-has-yet-to-dominate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cases-drop-recovery-rate-rises-in-india-where-omicron-has-yet-to-dominate\/","title":{"rendered":"Cases Drop, Recovery Rate Rises in India, Where Omicron Has Yet to Dominate"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcases-drop-recovery-rate-rises-in-india-where-omicron-has-yet-to-dominate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1171786&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1237264116-640x335-1.png\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p class=\"subheading\">India has documented a slight decrease in the number of confirmed Chinese coronavirus cases between the end of last week and Monday as well as increasing recovery rates, a peculiar trend compared to the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the disease almost everywhere else.<\/p>\n<p>While still a significant minority compared to confirmed cases of delta variant infection, the number of identified omicron cases is growing exponentially, resulting in local governments implementing social distancing and lockdown protocols despite the number of cases actually dropping. Experts believe that India has yet to enter the surge phase of omicron infection now present in places like the northeastern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnewyork.com\/news\/coronavirus\/ny-hospitalizations-top-5500-for-1st-time-since-february-amid-wild-scramble-for-tests\/3468716\/\">United States<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/587312-france-reports-daily-record-cases-as-omicron-hits-europe-hard\">Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>India is the origin country of the delta variant, a mutated version of the virus originating in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. The initial surge of delta cases early this year resulted in large numbers of cases and deaths in the country and has since yielded some of the highest percentages of populations testing positive for coronavirus antibodies, suggesting high levels of exposure to the pathogen.<\/p>\n<p>India reported 6,358 Chinese coronavirus cases between Monday and Tuesday, <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/india-reports-6358-new-covid-19-cases-293-deaths-in-24-hours-omicron-tally-653\/articleshow\/88535859.cms\">according to<\/a> the country\u2019s Health Ministry. In comparison, on December 19, India reported 13,600 cases. That day was a Sunday and somewhat anomalous to the days surrounding it, suggesting a weekend-related delay in test results. The number of cases <a href=\"https:\/\/gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6\">hovered<\/a> around 7,000, however, for much of the next week, increasing slightly to&nbsp;7,189 on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>India\u2019s World Is One News (WION) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wionews.com\/india-news\/while-west-struggles-to-control-omicron-surge-indias-covid-tally-tells-a-different-story-440603\">noted<\/a> on Tuesday that the number of new cases on December 26 was 6,531, significantly lower than the Saturday before it. By Monday, that number had dropped by another 300 cases.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIndia has recorded nearly 46,000 total cases from December 20 to 26. However, this number has seen a decline from 49,000 that India observed in the week before December 20,\u201d WION reported.<\/p>\n<p>The outlet also observed that the current recovery rate from coronavirus infections was at 98.40 percent, \u201cthe highest since March 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<em>Times of India<\/em> additionally reported on Tuesday, \u201cActive cases in India account for less than one percent of total cases, currently at 0.22 percent, the lowest since March 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite the wave of apparent good news, local Indian authorities have begun instituting mobility restrictions in anticipation of a wave of omicron variant cases. The Health Ministry <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/covid-at-135-biggest-one-day-rise-in-omicron-cases\/articleshow\/88532419.cms\">documented<\/a> 135 cases of omicron between Monday and Tuesday, several of them in two states that had previously not documented any. Delhi is leading the pack in infections with 142 confirmed omicron cases.<\/p>\n<p>Delhi officials <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/india-news\/schools-cinemas-and-gyms-shut-yellow-alert-in-delhi-amid-covid-alarm-101640684163757.html\">announced<\/a> a \u201cyellow alert\u201d on Tuesday that shuts down all schools, imposes a 10 p.m. curfew, and bans religious and political gatherings, despite the small number of omicron cases compared to delta. The \u201cyellow alert,\u201d the&nbsp;<em>Hindustan Times<\/em> reported, automatically goes into effect \u201cwhen the positivity rate for two consecutive days rises to more than 0.5 percent or if the cumulative single-day positive cases for a duration of seven days go beyond 1,500.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs is also threatening to impose lockdowns on the country despite the positive trend in cases this week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cState governments should ensure that the health systems in the states are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant,\u201d Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/consider-curbs-on-festive-crowds-mha-amid-covid-surge\/articleshow\/88532484.cms\">wrote<\/a> in a letter to state leaders on Monday. \u201cFurther, the state governments\/UT administrations should ensure that oxygen supply equipment are installed and are fully functional and the buffer stock of essential drugs should also be maintained,\u201d stated Bhalla.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIn a letter sent to the chief secretaries of all states and administrators of Union territories, home secretary Ajay Bhalla said that while the country has witnessed overall decline in active cases,\u201d the&nbsp;<em>Times of India&nbsp;<\/em>reported,&nbsp;\u201cOmicron variant is reported to be at least 3 times more transmissible than the Delta variant and is posing a new challenge for the fight against [Chinese coronavirus].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<em>Times of India<\/em> reported that the vast majority of omicron cases in Delhi are mild, reflecting a pattern seen globally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDr Suresh Kumar, medical director of Delhi\u2019s LNJP hospital, which is the capital\u2019s largest facility for treatment for [Chinese coronavirus] patients, said that 85-90 percent of the patients are asymptomatic while others have very mild symptoms,\u201d the newspaper relayed.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/africa\/2021\/12\/23\/study-south-african-omicron-patients-80-percent-less-likely-to-be-hospitalized\/\">Studies<\/a> from South Africa, the first country to alert the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) to the existence of the omicron variant, have found a dramatic dip in the need for hospitalizing omicron patients compared to delta patients. The W.H.O. itself has also stated that omicron appears to cause \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2021\/12\/09\/w-h-o-data-suggests-omicron-causes-milder-disease-than-delta\/\">milder<\/a>\u201d infections than delta.<\/p>\n<p>Even prior to omicron, however, Indians appeared to be protected from coronavirus infection at higher rates than other populations. A national survey taken in July found that as many as 67.6 percent of Indians nationally possessed antibodies against coronavirus; at the time, only about a fourth of Indians had been vaccinated, suggesting the majority of those with antibodies had been infected.<\/p>\n<p>In Delhi, the study <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/why-are-covid-cases-in-india-decreasing-despite-the-low-double-vaccination-rate-171736\">found<\/a> a staggering 97 percent of people possessed coronavirus antibodies by October.<\/p>\n<p>The first waves of coronavirus infection severely affected India. By July, India had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/07\/20\/study-india-coronavirus-deaths-likely-ten-times-higher-official-tally\/\">documented<\/a> 414,000 deaths attributable to coronavirus infection. A Harvard University study published that month, however, found that the number could be ten times smaller than the actual coronavirus death toll due to poor documentation of cases and treatment in remote parts of the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTrue deaths are likely to be in the several millions, not hundreds of thousands,\u201d according to the study, which monitored \u201cexcess mortality\u201d in the country, meaning the number of deaths documented during a time frame that is above the annual average for that time. Comparing the much higher number of deaths between January 2020 and the end of June 2021 to the average for similar timeframes, the researchers concluded that between 3 and 4.7 million people had died of coronavirus infection throughout the pandemic in India.<\/p>\n<p>Following the initial case surges, however, Indian cases fell. The Indian government took several unorthodox measures that elicited both international interest and confusion, among them the approval of homemade coronavirus vaccine products and the government promotion of the use of hydroxychloroquine, a drug often used to treat malaria, and the antiparasitic ivermectin.&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/health\/2021\/03\/01\/prime-minister-modi-posts-photo-receiving-unverified-indian-coronavirus-vaccine\/\">posted<\/a> photos of himself in March allegedly receiving a dose of \u201cCovaxin,\u201d the homemade vaccine product by Bharat Biotech, and Indian health authorities approved the use of the other two drugs in clinical guidelines. In May, the Indian state of Goa began <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/siladityaray\/2021\/05\/11\/indian-state-will-offer-ivermectin-to-entire-adult-population---even-as-who-warns-against-its-use-as-covid-19-treatment\/?sh=6fbbbcfc6d9f\">offering<\/a> ivermectin to residents as a preventative measure, claiming it could protect the body from coronavirus infections, not just treat existing ones.<\/p>\n<p>The debate over the use of ivermectin to treat coronavirus infections has been contentious for months. Researchers and institutions like the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) appear to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/graphic-detail\/2021\/11\/18\/ivermectin-may-help-covid-19-patients-but-only-those-with-worms\">agree<\/a> that the drug may benefit patients in parts of the world where human parasitic worm infections are common for two reasons: ivermectin eliminates the worms, strengthening the immune system, and by doing so protects the human body from the potential of corticosteroids, a common coronavirus treatment, weakening the immune system and helping the worms reproduce.<\/p>\n<p>In September \u2013 long before the discovery of the omicron variant \u2013 the&nbsp;Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the coronavirus National Task Force <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiatoday.in\/coronavirus-outbreak\/story\/why-hcq-ivermectin-dropped-india-covid-treatment-protocol-1857306-2021-09-26\">removed<\/a> hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin from national clinical guidelines, justifying the move by arguing that the studies showing a positive effect in coronavirus patients were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/india-news\/govt-drops-ivermectin-hcq-and-favipiravir-from-covid-19-treatment-list-101623058343019.html\">inconclusive<\/a> and heavily biased.<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1640695676035000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Do7vLYizoTarOBsntgrWy\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1640695676035000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1SVjA_v_zH7vFyGgBGYPXc\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India has documented a slight decrease in the number of confirmed Chinese coronavirus cases between the end of last week and Monday as well as increasing recovery rates, a peculiar &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1171786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1171786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1171786"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1171786\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1171786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1171786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1171786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}