Omicron like viral fever, no need to panic: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow, Jan 03: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday urged people to not panic over rising Omicron cases in the country.

"Omicron spreads fast but causes very mild disease. The virus has weakened. It is like viral fever but precautions are necessary. However, there is no need to panic," Yogi Adityanath told news agency ANI.

Patients infected with Omicron are getting discharged in 4-5 days. "Omicron is not as lethal as the Delta variant", he added.

A total of 1,700 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far, out of which 639 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Monday.

Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of 510 cases, followed by Delhi (351), Kerala (156), Gujarat (136), Tamil Nadu (121) and Rajasthan (120).

India's Covid tally rose to 3,49,22,882 with 33,750 fresh cases, while the active cases increased to 1,45,582, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The death toll climbed to 4,81,893 with 123 more fatalities, the data showed.

The active cases have increased to 1,45,582 comprising 0.42 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.20 per cent, the health ministry said.