New Delhi: Ministry of Health on Thursday said two cases of Omicron Covid-19 variant have been detected in India. Both cases have travel history to South Africa.
Both the cases have been reported in Karnataka with the patients being two foreigners aged 66 and 46, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary Ministry of Health told a news briefing.
He said the identities of the patients will not be disclosed for now to protect their privacy.
Omicron was first detected in South Africa, ringing alarm bells across the world that was slowly coming back to normal after the onslaught of the Pandemic which began in December 2019.
“Around 29 countries have reported 373 cases of Omicron so far”, Agarwal, further said.
"The contacts of the duo who tested positive for the latest variant have been identified and are under monitoring", he said.
"All Omicron related cases are found to have mild symptoms so far. No severe symptoms have been noticed in all such cases, both in the country and abroad. The WHO has said that the virus' emerging evidence is being studied", he added.
Earlier on Thursday Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said four people travelling from "at risk" countries have tested positive in the national capital.
“Apart from them, four other close contacts of the infected have been identified. Their samples have been sent for re-monitoring to the genome sequencing lab”, he said.
All the eight have been admitted to the isolation ward of the government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital which has been designated to treat new Covid-19 variant Omicron patients. The hospital has been asked to earmark wards for isolating and treating such patients.
The minister said that all samples have been sent for genome sequencing and their reports are awaited. It will take three to four days for their final report.
"Of the eight, most are from European nations like Belgium, Netherlands and UK. As the Delta variant is still predominant in Europe, we will have to wait for the final report before saying anything", said Jain.
“Covid-19 is under control in the national capital, but the new variant Omicron has become a major concern. Delhi suffered heavily during the second Covid wave owing to the passengers coming from abroad, so strict testing is being undertaken at the airport”, he said.
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