2 cases of Omicron detected in India; 5 contacts test Covid positive, samples sent for Genomic Sequencing

The Union Health Ministry revealed that India has detected 2 cases of Omicron variant on Thursday. Both the cases have been reported from Karnataka, according to the Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal.

New Delhi: "Two cases of Omicron Variant reported in the country so far. Both cases from Karnataka," says Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry, while addressing a press conference. The ministry informed that both infected have been diagnosed with mild symptoms so far.

"...In all such cases in the country and across the world so far, no severe symptom has been noted. WHO has said that its emerging evidence is being studied," Agarwal said.

The ministry has said that all the contacts of the infected persons have been identified and are under monitoring.

As many as five primary and secondary contacts of the Omicron infected person have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Their samples have been sent for Genomic Sequencing for confirmation, said Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commissioner, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

According to a statement issued by the BBMP, one of the two patients is a 66-year-old male while the other is a 46-year-old male. The former had returned from South Africa, via Dubai, and was fully vaccinated. The latter had no travel history.

"There were 24 primary contacts of the 66-year-old male. All are asymptomatic, tested and reported negative for the COVID-19," the Bengaluru Municipal Corporation said.

"Out of his (doctor's) primary & secondary contact, 5 people tested positive for COVID-19. So a total of 6 people have been isolated, admitted to govt hospital. None of them are showing any serious symptoms. All these people are fully vaccinated," Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar has informed.

"As many as 13 primary contacts and 205 secondary contacts of the 46-year-old male were tested. Out of which, three primary contacts and two secondary contacts have tested positive between November 22 and 25. They all have been isolated. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing, results are awaited," the BBMP statement further explained.

The person who has left for South Africa via Dubai had presented a negative certificate for the virus, from a private lab. His primary and secondary contacts (total 264) were found negative. So it means that his certificate may be true, the Karnataka Health Minister added.

Lav Agarwal said that around 29 countries have reported 373 cases of Omicron variant so far. In comparison to this, the Southeast Asian region that includes India and 11 other countries, reported only 1.2 Lakh cases in the last one week - only 3.1 per cent of the cases of the world. A decrease in cases is being reported in the Southeast Asian region.

A surge in cases is being noted across the world on an overall basis. Europe reported 70% of the cases in the world in the last one week. In the week ending 28 Nov, around 2.75 Lakh new cases & over 31,000 deaths reported in the European region, Agarwal added.

Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Balram Bhargava said, "two cases of Omicron detected in Karnataka so far through genome sequencing effort of INSACOG consortium of 37 laboratories established by the Ministry of Health. We need not panic, but awareness is absolutely essential. COVID apt behaviour is required."

Earlier in the day, four more travellers from at-risk countries tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Thursday, officials said.

Three out of the 243 people on the Air France flight that landed at the airport around 12 midnight tested positive for Covid, an official said.

One more person travelling with 195 others on a flight from London was found to be infected with coronavirus, the official said.

Their samples have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control for genome sequencing to ascertain if they have the new variant, Omicron, which has been classified as 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organization.

A total of eight people from at-risk countries have tested positive for COVID-19 since stricter norms for international passengers came into effect on Tuesday midnight.

The eight Covid positive travellers and two other passengers who showed Covid-like symptoms have been admitted to the Lok Nayak Hospital, where a dedicated ward has been set up for isolating and treating such patients.

According to the Centre, the countries designated as "at-risk" are European countries, including the UK, and South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.

Under the new norms, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for passengers arriving from the "at-risk" countries and they will be allowed to leave the airport only after the results come.

Also, five per cent of the passengers arriving in flights from other countries will be subject to the test randomly.

(With inputs from agencies)