27,553 new cases in India; West Bengal schools, colleges shut

Pilgrims on their way to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, on Sunday. Pic/PTI

The West Bengal government brought back stricter COVID-related restrictions amid a steep rise in cases, shutting all educational institutions from Monday and allowing offices to operate with 50 per cent workforce. Across the nation, 27,553 fresh infections were reported, largely driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi announced that only essential services will be permitted between 10 pm and 5 am in the state. Local trains would be allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity till 7 pm, while all shopping malls and markets would be allowed to remain open till 10 pm but with half their capacities, he said. The state on Saturday reported 4,512 fresh cases, 1,061 more than the previous day, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 new cases, showed government data.

Meanwhile, the Omicron tally in the country rose to 1,525.

Devotees throng Vaishno Devi

Unfazed by Saturday's stampede that left 12 devotees dead, people flocked to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine where authorities have deployed security personnel in full strength and are greeting pilgrims with chants of "Darshan Karo, Katra Chalo" to encourage them not to linger on after paying obeisance.

The yatra that registered a footfall of over 55.77 lakh in 2021, compared to 17 lakh the previous year due to the pandemic, was going on smoothly, with visitors expressing satisfaction over the arrangements of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Twelve people lost their lives and 16 others were injured in the stampede in the early hours of Saturday after a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims during the New Year rush.

3,48,89,132 Total no. of Coronavirus cases in india so far
4,81,770 Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far
1,22,801 total no. of active cases in India

Nainital: 85 kids +ve

As many as 85 students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Nainital's Gangarkote tested positive for COVID on Saturday. "The school was transformed into a micro-containment zone," said an official.

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