No new case of Omicron variant reported in Maharashtra on Wednesday

Two foreign returnees test positive for Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal: Health official. 

BJP's win in Uttar Pradesh will be bigger in 2022 than it had been the case in 2017, says Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Zee News.

"Those who are not fully vaccinated will not be allowed at public places after January 1- marriage hall, hotel, bank, any mall, any government office, bus," Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij was quoted as saying by ANI.

"Those who are not fully vaccinated will not be allowed  at public places after January 1- marriage hall, hotel, bank, any mall, any government office, bus," Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said.

Former Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav on Wednesday said she has tested positive for COVID-19. "I am fully vaccinated and not showing any symptoms yet. I have isolated myself... I request all those who met me recently to get themselves tested," she tweeted. Dimple Yadav's husband and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is currently on a two-day campaign yatra from Mainpuri to Etah. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are due early next year. (PTI)

DDMA (Department Of Delhi Disaster Management Authority) has directed the district magistrates to identify potential COVID-19 superspreader areas in Delhi amid the Omicron scare. 

At least 29 students of a residential school in West Bengal's Nadia district have tested positive for COVID-19, an official said. Twenty-nine class 9 and 10 students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kalyani have tested positive for COVID-19 and their guardians have been informed to take them back to their homes, the official said. The Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Kalyani, Hirak Mandal said the other students of the school and teachers are also being tested for COVID-19. (PTI)

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday (December 22) witnessed the operational demonstration by the Southern Naval Command in Kerala's Kochi. The President, who is visiting Kerala, had addressed the fifth convocation of the Central University of Kerala in Kasargod on the first day of his visit to the state, where he will stay till December 24. 

President Ram Nath Kovind witnessed the operational demonstration by the Southern Naval Command in Kochi. The event displayed the combat capability of ships and aircraft of the navy and showcased naval prowess and operations.

(Photo courtesy: President's Twitter handle) pic.twitter.com/H9R7RjsXt1

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2021

The Mumbai Police, while stopping the probe on extortion issue in the drugs-on-cruise case, was quoted by ANI as saying, "Investigation of alleged extortion matter in connection with drugs on cruise case halted until next order. Mumbai Police had constituted SET (Special Enquiry Team) to investigate and had questioned around 20 people. No case registered so far as no evidence found yet."

Parliament commenced on 29th Nov'21 and today it is concluded. We had 18 sittings spread over 24 days. Lok Sabha's productivity was 82% and Rajya Sabha was 47%. 9 bills passed in the RS and 11 passed in LS: Pralhad Joshi, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister

A total of 99 MPs participated in the 12 hours 26 minutes long discussion on the COVID19, in which they shared with the House the best work done in their respective areas during the COVID period: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

The productivity of Lok Sabha in this Winter Session was approximately 82%: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

Income Tax department conducting searches of some Chinese companies in Delhi-NCR. Search is on Oppo mobile company and its vendors since yesterday. Earlier in August, a Chinese government-controlled telecom vendor, ZTE was searched. More details awaited: Sources

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issues a Look-Out Circular (LOC) against Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Bikram Singh Majithia a day after FIR was registered against him in a drugs case.

The solid-fuel, battlefield missile developed by Defence Research Development Organisation is based on Prithvi Defence Vehicle from the Indian ballistic missile programme. The missile, launched from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island around 10.30 am, met all the mission objectives, the sources said.

India successfully testfires surface-to-surface ballistic missile 'Pralay' on Wednesday. 

#WATCH 'Pralay' surface to surface ballistic missile successfully testfired

(Source: DRDO) pic.twitter.com/MjW9lYR1Cm

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2021

In my opinion, a booster is a must. When you've two doses of any vaccine your protection level, especially after 3 to 6 months goes down. If you have a third dose or a booster then the chance of having a severe infection, hospitalization reduces, says Dr S K Sarin, Director, ILBS Delhi

Health Minister has said in the Parliament, the need, the timing, and the nature of boosting if any will be based on the scientific decision, thinking: Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog on Booster dose.

Covid always comes with mild symptoms in the initial stages. We're watching any change in the pattern of the presentation of the emerging cases very carefully: Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O`Brien was on Wednesday suspended from the Rajya Sabha for "unruly behaviour." According to reports, O`Brien was suspended from Rajya Sabha yesterday for the remaining part of the current session for `unruly behaviour` in the House. The action was taken against O`Brien for throwing the rule book on the reporters` table during a discussion on the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021`.

If Omicron cases continue to rise in Maharashtra, we may take a call to shut the schools again. We are monitoring the situation, says School Education Minister Prof Varsha Eknath Gaikwad.

Maharashtra | If Omicron cases continue to rise, we may take a call to shut the schools again. We are monitoring the situation: School Education minister Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad to ANI

(file photo) pic.twitter.com/9EDsOuAnw3

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2021

PT Thomas, Congress MLA and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president, passed away today.

You might give a lot of importance to TMC but I don't think it stands anywhere in the race in Goa, says Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Panaji.

You might give a lot of importance to TMC but I don't think it stands anywhere in the race: Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, in Panaji, Goa #GoaElections2022 pic.twitter.com/nZqkhTpEDr

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2021

From midnight today, Singapore Airlines will stop accepting new bookings for all Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights into Singapore scheduled between 23 Dec 2021 & 20 Jan 2022, following the Singapore govt’s directive, says the airline.

Second Omicron case detected in Andhra Pradesh. A 39-yr-old woman who came from Kenya to Chennai, & then travelled to Tirupati, tested positive for Covid on Dec 12. Her sample sent for genome sequencing declared Omicron positive today. Her family members have tested negative, the state govt said.

Haryana's Gurugram achieves 100% COVID19 vaccination coverage, says District Deputy Commissioner

Lok Sabha adjourned sine die ahead of schedule. 

Lok Sabha adjourned sine die ahead of schedule pic.twitter.com/ROGQ8RsB2G

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2021

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology has taken cognizance of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's allegations of phone tapping, probe likely to begin soon: Sources. On Tuesday, she had alleged that the government is hacking Instagram accounts of her children.

90 Omicron patients have been discharged after recovery, says the Union Health Ministry.

South Korea reports 7,456 more Covid-19 cases

In Maharashtra, 10 persons including 8 police personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 before the beginning of the Winter Session of the State Assembly. Nearly 3,500 samples were tested, the state health department said, reports ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting to review the COVID-19 related situation in the country tomorrow, say govt sources

India has reported 6,317 new Covid-19 cases and 318 deaths in 24 hours, the government said on Wednesday.