Cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have risen to 21 in India over the weekend and people must step up for vaccination, Reuters quotes officials as saying.

The western state of Rajasthan reported the most number of Omicron cases with nine, followed by eight in Maharashtra, two in Karnataka and one each in Gujarat and the capital New Delhi.

“The people of Delhi must get fully vaccinated, wear a mask and maintain social distancing,” its health minister Satyendar Jain said.

The country has fully vaccinated 51 per cent of its 944 million adults and given at least one dose to 85pc. Tens of millions of people, however, are overdue for their second dose despite ample vaccine supplies, government data shows.