Omicron Variant Causes Spike In COVID-19 Infections In Major Cities In India, Number Of Hospitalized Patients Still Low

JAKARTA - India's major cities Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, although this has not been followed by an increase in hospitalizations, but concerns are growing about the spread to rural areas in the coming days.

India reported 90,928 new daily COVID-19 cases on Thursday, nearly quadrupling since the start of the year, mostly from cities where health officials say the Omicron variant has surpassed the Delta variant.

Most of those infected show no or only mild symptoms and have recovered quickly at home, officials said.

The federal health ministry on Wednesday identified Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru as some of the main areas of concern, although state officials fear the disease will soon spread to the countryside where health facilities are weaker.

Kolkata, a city of about 15 million, accounted for half of the new cases in the eastern state of West Bengal until a few days ago, but cases are now rising in neighboring districts. The state has reported one of the highest infection rates in India.

"We are observing the situation in the districts and rural belts where the numbers are also increasing," said Ajay Chakraborty, director of West Bengal health services who has isolated himself at home after contracting the virus, citing Reuters January 6.

Many COVID beds in Kolkata are still empty, Chakraborty said. At the government-run Infectious Diseases Hospital and Beliaghata General Hospital, only 75 admissions were recorded as of Tuesday, despite more than 9,000 new cases, he added.

Separately in the west, Mumbai recorded a new daily infection peak of 15,166 on Wednesday, up from an earlier high of more than 11,000 last year. Nearly 90 percent of new patients are asymptomatic and only 8 percent are hospitalized, city officials said in the daily health bulletin.

COVID-19 cases nearly doubled in a day in Delhi to 10,665 on Wednesday, but the state says only 7 percent of its COVID beds are occupied.

Meanwhile, federal health officials have previously warned the large number of mild cases could put pressure on the health system. India has confirmed at least 2,135 cases of Omicron and one death linked to the variant, in an elderly man suffering from diabetes.

Daily COVID-19 deaths rose by 325 on Thursday, bringing the total to 482,876. And, the total infections stood at 35.11 million, only behind the US tally.

As cases escalated, the western state of Gujarat on Thursday indefinitely postponed a biannual investment summit scheduled for Jan. 10-12, and the plan was to be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by the country's top billionaire. Modi's home state reported 3,350 infections on Wednesday.

To note, many Indian cities have imposed curfews and weekend lockdowns, as well as closed schools. Political demonstrations, however, have continued in some states, where elections will be held in the weeks and months ahead.

Health authorities will discuss the matter with election commission officials on Thursday amid growing concerns about such demonstrations, which led to a devastating second wave in the country in April and May.