DNA Special: More cases, less deaths - Will Omicron end COVID-19 pandemic?

New Delhi: COVID-19 has spread everywhere nowadays and so has the fear of the virus. However, today we will explain that while the virus is rapidly spread across the world, it has now become like flu, which is less dangerous for you compared to last time.

Number of fatalities very low

India registered the highest number of COVID-19 cases after 277 days at 1 lakh 80 thousand fresh cases yesterday. However, the number of deaths is very low compared to earlier numbers. India registered this many cases last in May 2021 during the second COVID-19 wave. There were 1.86 lakh new cases on May 27 and 1.73 lakh on May 28, and the death toll was more than 3,500 each day.

Now after seven months, the new cases are again around the same level. However, deaths are only 146, at 25 times less. This is because the Omicron variant is not that deadly and you don’t need to panic one bit.

More infection but less danger

India is not the only country with spiking cases but less deaths. US had 3.13 lakh cases on January 9, highest since September 7, 2021. While deaths were around 2,500, they are at 400 right now, at six times less. Similarly, in Britain the deaths are is thirteen times less.

Deaths are also less because people are recovered within 5 to 7 days and most are not even needing hospitalisation. While 25% patients needed hospitalisation during the second wave, only 5-10% are needing it this time, as per Union Health Ministry.

Less need for hospitalisation

When Mumbai had 90,000 cases on April 10 last year, then 20,000 hospital beds were completely filled. But at the same number of cases today, only 8,000 beds are filled. While 1300 patients needed ventilator then, the number if only 466 right now.

Similarly, Delhi had 3,000 people in ICU with 61,000 total cases last year. At a similar number, there are only 300 cases in ICU today.

Big relief from ICMR

Indian Council of Medical Research has said that if contacts of COVID-19 positive people have no symptoms then they do not need to get tested. You don’t need to get tested if you haven’t been too near or spent too much time with a COVID-10 positive person. Rules are less strict now.

It is to be noted that deaths are occurring in people who are not vaccinated or are suffering from any serious illness. For example, 35 people were unvaccinated among 46 deaths in Delhi between January 5-9. 25 of these were above 60 years of age. 34 of the 46 were already suffering from serious illness or unvaccinated.