Mumbai (Maharashtra): A Maharashtra man who returned from South Africa to Dombivli, has tested Covid-19 positive on Sunday, said the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).
Dr Pratibha Panpatil, health officer, KDMC, said, "A person, who returned from South Africa, has been tested positive for Covid-19. His samples will be sent for genome sequencing to ascertain whether he has been infected with new variant Omricon."
"He had travelled from South Africa to Mumbai via Delhi. He has been quarantined at Municipal Corporation's isolation room. Meanwhile, his brother has been tested negative, and other family members samples will be collected on Monday," the health officer added.
Read:WHO rings alarm bell, classifies new Covid variant in South Africa as 'Omicron'
What do we know about the Omicron variant?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) named the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'.
The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on November 24. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterised by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant.
In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of the B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9.
This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VOCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.
