"Uttarakhand has reported 85 new cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.?Genome sequencing reports of 159 COVID-19 samples confirmed the Omicron variant in 85 on Sunday, Director General, Health," Tripti Bahuguna said.

"It means the new variant of the pandemic has been confirmed in 54 per cent of the samples," she said.?Genome sequencing reports of 2,096 samples are still awaited. Uttarakhand had reported eight cases of Omicron earlier.

Covid curbs, meanwhile, have been extended in Uttarakhand till January 22.?Anganwadi centres and schools up to class 12 will remain closed till January 22. Night curfew timing from 10 pm to six pm will remain unchanged during the period. Water parks and swimming pools will also remain closed, a revised SOP said.

The ban on political rallies, padyatras,? roadshows, protests and demonstrations will also continue but meetings can be held inside auditoriums with 50 per cent capacity, it said.

With PTI Inputs