Delhi under the threat of homegrown Omicron, alerts Health Minister Jain

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain stated that the spread of the new variant Omicron has been rapid in Delhi accounting for 46 percent of the 115 Covid samples. Adding on, he stated that out of the total 200 reported cases only 102 belong to the city. In this regard, a yellow alert has been declared to control the increasing cases.

New Delhi:Omicron is gradually spreading in the community and the new, fast-spreading variant of concern accounted for 46 percent of the 115 Covid samples analysed in the national capital so far, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday.

The minister slammed the Centre for its negligence in banning international flights at the earliest which resulted in the entry of the new Omicron emergence in India.

He said stringent curbs have been put in place as part of the Graded Response Action Plan for COVID-19 to check the spread of the infection and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will decide on implementing more restrictions.

Referring to the same he stated that Delhi was the only state to implement strict restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

"There are 200 coronavirus patients in Delhi hospitals. Genome sequencing of the samples of 115 patients showed 46 percent had Omicron. These people include those who do not have any travel history. It means Omicron is now inside Delhi," Jain said.

He reported that the infection rate was recorded at 1.29 percent on Wednesday. "Indeed, the variant is gradually spreading in the community," the minister said.

He also said of the 200 coronavirus cases in Delhi hospitals, only 102 belong to the city.

Of the hospitalised Covid patients in Delhi, 115 do not have any symptoms and have been kept in hospitals as a precautionary measure, Jain said.

The Delhi health minister had on Wednesday said many international travellers who tested negative at the airport are found to be Covid positive after a few days. During this period, they are infecting their family members, he said.

The DDMA had on Wednesday decided that Covid-related restrictions imposed in Delhi under the 'yellow alert' will continue for the time being and authorities will monitor the situation for a while before deciding on fresh curbs.

On Wednesday, It had declared a 'yellow alert' under the Graded Response Action Plan in the city amid a spike in coronavirus cases following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The 'yellow alert' entails restrictions like night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, opening of shops selling non-essential items on an odd-even basis and halved seating capacity in Metro trains and buses, among other things.

The minister also said that the Delhi govt is working at its best to conduct swab tests to ensure control over the covid-19 spread.

(With agency inputs)