The sample of a 66-year-old Covid-positive passenger from South Africa has been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for genetic sequencing. This is the third verification that Karnataka is seeking in this case.
The senior citizen had arrived in Bengaluru on November 20.
His sample was first sequenced at the Molecular Solutions Care Health lab in Vasanthnagar. Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar later said this passenger’s sample was “different from Delta” based on the sequencing results obtained the first time. He, however, didn’t confirm if the passenger had Omicron.
The sample was then sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, which has said it has conveyed the result to the BBMP.
BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Dr K V Thrilok Chandra said the civic body would reveal the result only after getting the report from the Pune institute.
The passenger is said to be quarantined in a star hotel in Vasanthnagar. He had mild symptoms, besides 12 primary contacts and 200 secondary contacts, who include the hotel staff.
All the 212 contacts have been tested, and the civic body has not revealed if any one of them was infected.
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(Published 01 December 2021, 19:55 IST)
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