India vaccinates teens aged 15 to 18 as virus cases rise

By SHEIKH SAALIQ and ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — India has begun vaccinating teens in the age group of 15 to 18, as more states are enforcing tighter restrictions to arrest a surge of infections stoked by the omicron variant. On Monday, state governments across the country administered doses at schools, hospitals and through special vaccination sites amid a rapid rise in coronavirus infections, particularly in the country’s densely populated cities. Data from the health ministry showed India confirmed over 33,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Deaths increased by 123, bringing the total to near 482,000. The current surge in COVID-19 cases is largely concentrated in India’s big cities like Delhi and the financial capital Mumbai. The country now has reported more than 1,700 omicron cases.