Amid fears of the fourth coronavirus (COVID-19) wave in India, especially in the nation's capital, health experts on Thursday (April 21) said that&nbsp;is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron&nbsp;and they are being sequenced.&nbsp;

Delhi on Wednesday (April 20) reported 1,009 fresh cases, the highest since February 10, while the positivity rate is 5.70 per cent.&nbsp;

In the latest development, the health expert suggested&nbsp;that there are eight variants of Omicron. He added that among those eight, one is dominating and causing the surge in cases.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india/amid-4th-covid-wave-fears-india-reports-2380-new-cases-active-cases-increase-to-13433-472560">Amid 4th Covid wave fears, India reports 2,380 new cases, active cases increase to 13,433</a>

The Omicron variant, which was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa in November last year, led to a massive surge in Covid cases globally.&nbsp;

While speaking to India-based news agency ANI, Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) said that there is a possibility of new variants of Omicron in Delhi while adding that the samples at the ILBS lab have been sequenced.&nbsp;

"There is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron and they are being sequenced," said Dr Sarin, adding, "I think by today at our institute ILBS many samples have been sequenced and I think there are eight variants of which one is now dominating, we will come to know slowly."&nbsp;

Dr Sarin also warned people and urged them to be careful. He said, "I would suggest people should be very careful. There is a fear that children may get infected because they are not adequately vaccinated. People must wear masks."&nbsp;

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There's a possibility that new variants of Omicron are emerging. Many samples were sequenced at ILBS. I think there're 8 variants of Omicron, which one is the dominating variant,we'll know soon: Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver&amp;Biliary Sciences,on Delhi Covid cases surge <a href="https://t.co/HtAMlOYwFD">pic.twitter.com/HtAMlOYwFD</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1517066299502858241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Here's is Covid data released on April 21:&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> Updates 
 
Over 2.53 Cr. 1st dose vaccines administered for age group 12-14 years 
 
India's Active caseload currently stands at 13,433 
 
2,380 new cases reported in the last 24 hours 
 
Details: <a href="https://t.co/smQz3IzSaK">https://t.co/smQz3IzSaK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LargestVaccinationDrive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LargestVaccinationDrive</a> <a href="https://t.co/HbkjN4ZbzP">pic.twitter.com/HbkjN4ZbzP</a>
— PIB India (@PIB_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/PIB_India/status/1517005663209426944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Another expert said 4th wave is unlikely

Meanwhile, in another report, Manindra Agrawal, who is a professor at IIT Kanpur, weighed in on the reports of the fourth Covid wave in India is concerned. He recently told the media outlet India Today that the fourth wave of Covid is unlikely.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;India: Mask mandate back in New Delhi as COVID-19 cases surge

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Amid fears of the fourth coronavirus (COVID-19) wave in India, especially in the nation's capital, health experts on Thursday (April 21) said that is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron and they are being sequenced.

Amid fears of the fourth coronavirus (COVID-19) wave in India, especially in the nation's capital, health experts on Thursday (April 21) said that is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron and they are being sequenced. Delhi on Wednesday (April 20) reported 1,009 fresh cases, the highest since February 10, while the positivity rate is 5.70 per cent. In the latest development, the health expert suggested that there are eight variants of Omicron. He added that among those eight, one is dominating and causing the surge in cases. ALSO READ | Amid 4th Covid wave fears, India reports 2,380 new cases, active cases increase to 13,433 The Omicron variant, which was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa in November last year, led to a massive surge in Covid cases globally. While speaking to India-based news agency ANI, Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) said that there is a possibility of new variants of Omicron in Delhi while adding that the samples at the ILBS lab have been sequenced. "There is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron and they are being sequenced," said Dr Sarin, adding, "I think by today at our institute ILBS many samples have been sequenced and I think there are eight variants of which one is now dominating, we will come to know slowly." Dr Sarin also warned people and urged them to be careful. He said, "I would suggest people should be very careful. There is a fear that children may get infected because they are not adequately vaccinated. People must wear masks." There's a possibility that new variants of Omicron are emerging. Many samples were sequenced at ILBS. I think there're 8 variants of Omicron, which one is the dominating variant,we'll know soon: Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver&Biliary Sciences,on Delhi Covid cases surge pic.twitter.com/HtAMlOYwFD — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2022 × Here's is Covid data released on April 21: #COVID19 Updates Over 2.53 Cr. 1st dose vaccines administered for age group 12-14 years India's Active caseload currently stands at 13,433 2,380 new cases reported in the last 24 hours Details: https://t.co/smQz3IzSaK #IndiaFightsCorona #LargestVaccinationDrive pic.twitter.com/HbkjN4ZbzP — PIB India (@PIB_India) April 21, 2022 × Another expert said 4th wave is unlikely Meanwhile, in another report, Manindra Agrawal, who is a professor at IIT Kanpur, weighed in on the reports of the fourth Covid wave in India is concerned. He recently told the media outlet India Today that the fourth wave of Covid is unlikely. WATCH | India: Mask mandate back in New Delhi as COVID-19 cases surge ×

COVID-19 in India: Amid fourth wave fears, new variants of the Omicron 'possibly emerging' in New Delhi

COVID-19 infections in South Africa are diminishing after the country saw a massive surge in cases during the fourth wave. According to UN, COVID cases and related deaths have reduced in multiple parts of Africa. The newly reported cases have fallen by almost 20 per cent.

Coronavirus cases lower in South Africa after period of massive surge in infections

The covid-19 situation in Europe is getting worse by the day. Low rate of vaccination and skyrocketing cases after lifting of curbs. It is the same story in many countries that are dealing with escalating crisis.

Europe to face fourth wave of deadly Covid-19 crisis

Germany is in the midst of fourth Covid wave. Many hospitals are being overburdened, even as outgoing&nbsp;Chancellor Angela Merkel described the rise in infections as “dramatic”.

On&nbsp;Thursday, Germany registered a record 50,196 new COVID-19 infections.&nbsp;According to health authorities, it is the first time Germany has exceeded 50,000 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. The death rates have also soared since mid-October.

According to a report from the New York Times, unvaccinated Germans are primarily responsible for the fourth Covid wave in the country, producing thousands of new daily infections — more than the country has had at any point in the pandemic.

Many factors are being attributed to surge in cases, including winter temperature, a slow rollout of booster vaccines, and more pronounced spike in infections in neighbouring eastern European nations.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/real-emergency-top-german-virologist-warns-of-100000-covid-deaths-as-cases-continue-to-surge-428381">&nbsp;'Real emergency': Top German virologist warns of 100,000 Covid deaths as cases continue to surge</a>

However, experts are of the opinion that unvaccinated Germans are the primary cause of the present outbreak.

“It’s our low rate of vaccination; we haven’t done what was necessary,” said Herold, a scientist, told the New York Times.

She was part of a team of scientists who modelled the impact of a fourth wave. Early in the year, she had warned that at least 85 per cent of the whole population would need to be vaccinated to avert a delta variant-fuelled crisis in the health care system.

“We are still below 70 per cent. I don’t know how we can win this race against time with the fourth wave. I fear we’ve already lost,” she was quoted as saying.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/real-emergency-top-german-virologist-warns-of-100000-covid-deaths-as-cases-continue-to-surge-428381">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/grave-concern-covid-cases-soar-in-germany-426732">&nbsp;'Grave concern': Covid cases soar in Germany</a>

Pressure is also building on hospitals, in an outbreak blamed on Germany's relatively low vaccination rates of just over 67 per cent.

About 1 in 3 Germans not yet fully vaccinated, the German vaccination rate is among the lowest in Western Europe, according to reports.

“What we are experiencing is above all a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” the minister of health, Jens Spahn, said this month.

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany is in the midst of fourth Covid wave. Many hospitals are being overburdened, even as outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel described the rise in infections as “dramatic”.

Germany is in the midst of fourth Covid wave. Many hospitals are being overburdened, even as outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel described the rise in infections as “dramatic”. On Thursday, Germany registered a record 50,196 new COVID-19 infections. According to health authorities, it is the first time Germany has exceeded 50,000 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. The death rates have also soared since mid-October. According to a report from the New York Times, unvaccinated Germans are primarily responsible for the fourth Covid wave in the country, producing thousands of new daily infections — more than the country has had at any point in the pandemic. Many factors are being attributed to surge in cases, including winter temperature, a slow rollout of booster vaccines, and more pronounced spike in infections in neighbouring eastern European nations. Also read | 'Real emergency': Top German virologist warns of 100,000 Covid deaths as cases continue to surge However, experts are of the opinion that unvaccinated Germans are the primary cause of the present outbreak. “It’s our low rate of vaccination; we haven’t done what was necessary,” said Herold, a scientist, told the New York Times. She was part of a team of scientists who modelled the impact of a fourth wave. Early in the year, she had warned that at least 85 per cent of the whole population would need to be vaccinated to avert a delta variant-fuelled crisis in the health care system. “We are still below 70 per cent. I don’t know how we can win this race against time with the fourth wave. I fear we’ve already lost,” she was quoted as saying. Also read | 'Grave concern': Covid cases soar in Germany Pressure is also building on hospitals, in an outbreak blamed on Germany's relatively low vaccination rates of just over 67 per cent. About 1 in 3 Germans not yet fully vaccinated, the German vaccination rate is among the lowest in Western Europe, according to reports. “What we are experiencing is above all a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” the minister of health, Jens Spahn, said this month. (With inputs from agencies)

Unvaccinated Germans responsible for fourth Covid wave, say experts

A fourth wave of infections is rapidly approaching Israel. The daily rate of confirmed new virus cases has more than doubled in the past two weeks.

Israel faces new surge of Coronavirus cases

Thousands of people, despite the fourth wave of COVID infections, protested against the government’s latest measures to push people to get vaccinated.

Anti-Health Pass Protest: France battles fourth wave of COVID-19

Ahead of the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics-softbank-ceo-slams-games-as-japan-races-to-catch-up-on-vaccinations-387042"> Olympics</a>, Japans's second-largest city Osaka is battling the fourth wave of coronavirus with hospitals unable to cope with the pressure as cases have surged over the past week.

Watch:

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The number of coronavirus cases has overwhelmed the health infrastructure in Osaka which currently accounts for over 25 per cent of the total death toll cases in Japan.

With the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/over-80-per-cent-in-japan-oppose-olympics-this-year-poll-385608">Tokyo Olympic</a>&nbsp;games slated to begin in just nine&nbsp;weeks, the health infrastructure has almost collapsed, reports say.&nbsp;

At least 96 per cent of hospital beds are occupied and the patients getting admitted this time have been exhibiting more serious symptoms than before, reports said.

With a population of over 9 million, Japan's western region has borne the brunt of infections in the deadly surge that has occurred this month.

The coronavirus strain first found in Britain is believed to be behind this sudden rise in the number of infections, according to reports.

Nearly 14 per cent of those who have tested positive in the latest wave in Osaka have required hospitalisation, however, besides hospital beds, there is also a shortage of medicines even as the hospital staff have complained that there are too few doctors and nurses managing too many patients.

However, despite the latest surge in COVID-19 cases the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-chiefs-delayed-pre-olympics-japan-trip-to-happen-by-mid-july-386335">International Olympic Committee(IOC)</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-chiefs-delayed-pre-olympics-japan-trip-to-happen-by-mid-july-386335">&nbsp;</a>has said the Olympics will go ahead with more than 80 per cent of the residents in the Olympic village to be vaccinated.

On Monday, Japan opened its mass vaccination drive in two military-run centres in Tokyo and Osaka. The country has vaccinated just two per cent of its population so far in a country of 125 million.

Reports said the Tokyo centre aims to deliver up to 10,000 jabs a day, while the Osaka centre will give up to 5,000 two-shot Moderna vaccine along with the AstraZeneca vaccine, however, the Oxford vaccine will not be immediately used due to reports of rare blood clots occurring in some patients.

The country has also been using the Pfizer vaccine. Apart from Osaka, there are at least eight other regions under virus state of emergency.

Ahead of the Olympics, Japans's second-largest city Osaka is battling the fourth wave of coronavirus with hospitals unable to cope with the pressure as cases have surged over the past week.

Ahead of the Olympics, Japans's second-largest city Osaka is battling the fourth wave of coronavirus with hospitals unable to cope with the pressure as cases have surged over the past week. Watch: The number of coronavirus cases has overwhelmed the health infrastructure in Osaka which currently accounts for over 25 per cent of the total death toll cases in Japan. With the Tokyo Olympic games slated to begin in just nine weeks, the health infrastructure has almost collapsed, reports say. At least 96 per cent of hospital beds are occupied and the patients getting admitted this time have been exhibiting more serious symptoms than before, reports said. With a population of over 9 million, Japan's western region has borne the brunt of infections in the deadly surge that has occurred this month. The coronavirus strain first found in Britain is believed to be behind this sudden rise in the number of infections, according to reports. Nearly 14 per cent of those who have tested positive in the latest wave in Osaka have required hospitalisation, however, besides hospital beds, there is also a shortage of medicines even as the hospital staff have complained that there are too few doctors and nurses managing too many patients. However, despite the latest surge in COVID-19 cases the International Olympic Committee(IOC) has said the Olympics will go ahead with more than 80 per cent of the residents in the Olympic village to be vaccinated. On Monday, Japan opened its mass vaccination drive in two military-run centres in Tokyo and Osaka. The country has vaccinated just two per cent of its population so far in a country of 125 million. Reports said the Tokyo centre aims to deliver up to 10,000 jabs a day, while the Osaka centre will give up to 5,000 two-shot Moderna vaccine along with the AstraZeneca vaccine, however, the Oxford vaccine will not be immediately used due to reports of rare blood clots occurring in some patients. The country has also been using the Pfizer vaccine. Apart from Osaka, there are at least eight other regions under virus state of emergency.

Ahead of Olympics, Japan's Osaka buckles under coronavirus fourth wave

The coronavirus vaccines were being hailed as lifesaver and people had assumed that the inoculation drives will bring immediate relief in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">pandemic</a> struggles.&nbsp;

However, as per a recent warning by the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a "fourth surge" can occur before the whole population of the US is vaccinated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-a-psychological-distress-japan-asks-china-to-stop-anal-swab-tests-for-coronavirus-on-citizens-367309" hreflang="en">'It's a psychological distress': Japan asks China to stop anal swab tests for coronavirus on citizens</a>

"At this level of cases, with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained," Rochelle Walensky said in a White House briefing.

Walensky urged people to not put down their guards. She asked people to not relax and keep following the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the medical experts.

"Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of Covid-19 in our communities, not when we are so close. We have the ability to stop a potential fourth surge of cases in this country," she said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-sells-stake-in-moderna-for-more-than-1-billion-report-367063" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca sells stake in Moderna for more than $1 billion: Report</a>

This can, however, be helped by the recently approved single-shot coronavirus vaccine of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-approves-johnson-johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-biden-warns-americans-366715">Johnson &amp; Johnson.</a>

Jeff Zients, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus response team, reported that the single-shot vaccine's delivery will start "as early as tomorrow".

The pharmaceutical company has a ready plan to distribute nearly 3.9 million doses of the vaccine in the upcoming days. This will add to the already-existing stockpile of Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines in the US.&nbsp;

However, he also added that "J&amp;J has indicated that the supply will be limited for the next couple of weeks".

The approval of the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, however,&nbsp;is being predicted to be a great help in ramping up the immunisation process in the country which has lost more than 500,000 people to this deadly virus, as this vaccine only requires a single dose, as compared to the other two which are two-dose vaccines.

The coronavirus vaccines were being hailed as lifesaver and people had assumed that the inoculation drives will bring immediate relief in the pandemic struggles.

The coronavirus vaccines were being hailed as lifesaver and people had assumed that the inoculation drives will bring immediate relief in the pandemic struggles. However, as per a recent warning by the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a "fourth surge" can occur before the whole population of the US is vaccinated. Also read | 'It's a psychological distress': Japan asks China to stop anal swab tests for coronavirus on citizens "At this level of cases, with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard-earned ground we have gained," Rochelle Walensky said in a White House briefing. Walensky urged people to not put down their guards. She asked people to not relax and keep following the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the medical experts. "Now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of Covid-19 in our communities, not when we are so close. We have the ability to stop a potential fourth surge of cases in this country," she said. Also read | AstraZeneca sells stake in Moderna for more than $1 billion: Report This can, however, be helped by the recently approved single-shot coronavirus vaccine of Johnson & Johnson. Jeff Zients, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus response team, reported that the single-shot vaccine's delivery will start "as early as tomorrow". The pharmaceutical company has a ready plan to distribute nearly 3.9 million doses of the vaccine in the upcoming days. This will add to the already-existing stockpile of Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines in the US. However, he also added that "J&J has indicated that the supply will be limited for the next couple of weeks". The approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, is being predicted to be a great help in ramping up the immunisation process in the country which has lost more than 500,000 people to this deadly virus, as this vaccine only requires a single dose, as compared to the other two which are two-dose vaccines.

Potential 'fourth surge' of coronavirus possible soon, CDC chief warns

Hong Kong’s health minister Sophia Chan warned on Friday that the dreaded fourth wave of COVID-19 had arrived and could spiral out of control without a tough response.

Hong Kong enters the fourth wave of pandemic, 26 new infections reported

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