The number of persons found infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in India increased to 38 on Sunday after 5 fresh infections were reported in the past 24 hours.

One case each was reported from Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala on Sunday.

Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala reported their first cases of the new variant while the infections in Karnataka and Maharashtra were the third and eighteenth cases in the respective states.

With this, Omicron has been detected in Maharashtra (18), Rajasthan (9), Karnataka (3), Karnataka (3), Kerala (1) and Andhra Pradesh (1) and Union Territories of Delhi (2) and Chandigarh (1).

India recorded 7,350 COVID-19 cases and 202 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to health ministry data.

Meanwhile, World Health Organization on Sunday said that the Omicron variant of coronavirus appears to spread faster than the Delta variant and preliminary findings suggest that it reduces the efficacy of vaccines.

The UN health agency added that Omicron -first identified in South Africa- seems to have a “growth advantage” over Delta, based on limited evidence available presently.

The Delta variant was first identified in India earlier this year and accounts for over 99% of Covid-19 cases globally.