India Vaccinates Teens due to Spike in Infections with COVID-19 

Indian health authorities have begun vaccinating teens between 15 and 18-years-olds, while more states across the country have begun imposing stricter restrictions to counter the surge in infections caused by the Omicron mutant.

State governments in all parts of India have given doses in schools, hospitals, and through private vaccination sites amid a rapid rise in novel coronavirus (known also as COVID-19) infections, especially in the country's densely populated cities.

Data from the Ministry of Health showed that India had confirmed more than 33,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

The number of deaths increased by 123 cases, bringing the total deaths to nearly 482,000.

India has so far recorded nearly 35 million cases of COVID-19.

The authorities say that even as cases are rising rapidly, the number of hospitalizations has not.

Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi's chief minister, said: "There is no need to panic."

The current increase in cases, including Omicron, is largely concentrated in India's major cities, such as Delhi and the financial capital, Mumbai.

Those cities have reported more than 1,700 Omicron cases, with the largest number of infections in the western state of Maharashtra.

Several states have imposed new restrictions, including nightly curfews, limited seating in bars and restaurants, and bans on large public gatherings.

The latest state to impose such restrictions was West Bengal, where the authorities closed all schools and colleges on Sunday.