Jammu & Kashmir reports first cases of Omicron

A health worker collects swab sample of a vendor for Covid-19 test, in wake of recent surge in coronavirus cases, in Jammu, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday reported its first three cases of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

“Three Omicron cases confirmed by (National Centre for Disease Control) NCDC, Delhi from a cluster in Jammu. Sample taken on 30th November. RT-PCR testing of entire locality ordered”, read a tweet by Health & Medical Education Department. “Please observe Covid Appropriate Behaviour”, it said.

J&K recorded 104 fresh Covid cases on Tuesday, taking the infection tally to 3,40,036, while one fresh fatality due to the virus was reported from the Union Territory in the past 24 hours, officials said.

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India has at least 200 cases of the new Omicron variant till now, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

The Omicron variant of Covid-19 is at least three times more transmissible than the Delta variant, the Centre told all States and Union Territories. Maharashtra and Delhi have the highest number of Omicron cases, at 54 each followed by Telangana (20) and Karnataka (19).

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