New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): The new coronavirus variant, Omicron, is the predominant circulating strain in India, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said on Wednesday.

"Omicron is the predominant circulating strain in cities in the country. Mass gatherings should be avoided to lower the speed of this spread," Dr Bhargava said during the briefing of the Union Health Ministry.

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As per the ministry, 2,135 cases of Omicron have been reported in the country with Maharashtra registering the maximum cases followed by Delhi.

The ministry has also said that Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Gujarat are States of concern where there has been a rise in COVID-19 cases.

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"28 districts in the country are reporting more than 10 per cent weekly positivity," Ministry has said.

Notably, India on Wednesday reported 58,097 fresh COVID cases and 534 deaths while on Tuesday, the country had recorded 37,379 new COVID cases and 124 deaths. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)