Indian doctors strike as Omicron sparks fears of third wave of COVID-19

Students apply finishing touches to paintings made to create an awareness against the new coronavirus Omicron variant, in Mumbai, India, November 29, 2021. REUTERS/Niharika Kulkarni/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India reported 9,216 new COVID-19 infections on Friday after announcing its first two Omicron cases the previous day, as groups of resident doctors stayed away from non-critical work to demand new post-graduate students be enrolled to boost staffing.

The country, whose hospitals bore the brunt of a record second surge in infections and deaths in April and May due to the Delta variant, has seen new cases plateauing around 10,000 in the past few weeks.