Maharashtra reports 8 new cases of Omicron, tally rises to 48

Maharashtra on Saturday reported eight new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19, taking the cumulative tally of Omicron cases in the state to 48.

Of these, 28 patients have been discharged after they tested negative for the virus in the RT PCR test.

According to the bulletin, Mumbai reported the highest cases of Omicron (18), followed by Pimpri Chinchwad (10), Pune (Rural) (6), three each in Pune Municipal Corporation and Satara, two each in Kalyan Dombivali and Osmanabad and one each in Latur, Buldhana, Nagpur and Vasai Virar.

A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.

On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'.

Meanwhile, more than 100 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported in the country so far.

( With inputs from ANI )

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