Amid a rise in the number of Omicron cases in India, the director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr. Balram Bhargava, urged people to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings, adding that low-intensity festivities should be observed, such as to mark the new year.

At a COVID-related briefing, Dr Bhargava called for local restrictions to be imposed in 24 districts from seven states, where the weekly test positivity rate is above 5%, nine being in Kerala and eight in Manipur. Kerala tops the list with Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Kannur, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Kollam, Wayanad and Pathanamthitta. It is followed by Mizoram with Khawzawl, Hnahthial, Lunglei, Aizawl, Serchhip, Champhai, Mamit, and Lawngtlai. The other districts are Namsai and Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, North District and South District in Sikkim, Lahaul&Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, Zunheboto in Nagaland and Kolkata… (Indian Express, December 18, 2021)