Spike in corona cases, indicative of the third wave but don't panic: NTAGI, doctor

The chairman of the Covid-19 working group of the NTAGI, Dr. N K Arora said that the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases is an indication of the third wave in the country. He also said that the Omicron variant is accounting for over 50 percent of the fresh cases in big cities of the country. 

“The galloping increase in the number of Covid cases over the last one week is indicative of the third wave, as is being seen in several other countries across the globe,” PTI reported Arora as saying on Tuesday.

He further said that there is no need to panic because 90 percent of the adults have been vaccinated at least with the first dose of vaccination, while 65 percent are fully vaccinated against corona. 

She also pointed out some crises similarity with South Africa, Arora said, “If we look at the behaviour of the Omicron wave in South Africa, where it rapidly increased, in two weeks, the number of cases started coming down and most of the cases were either asymptomatic or had a mild illness, along with the decoupling of the total number of Covid cases vis-a-vis those requiring hospitalisation. All these factors indicate that the Omicron wave in South Africa may soon subside”.

"Looking at the behaviour of the Covid infection in the last seven to 10 days in India, I feel that we may be in for a third wave peak very soon," he added. Arora also urged the people to take vaccination as soon as possible, because this is the only way to prevent corona.