Telangana to apply Covid-19 rules for all international arrivals who test positive

In the state, of the 20 persons found to be infected with the Omicron variant, only four are from countries categorised as 'at-risk'

Following detection of Omicron cases among arrivals from countries not designated as 'at-risk', Telangana health authorities said they will implement isolation rules for all arrivals who test positive for Covid-19, irrespective of the country of origin or transit.

Of the 20 persons found to be infected with the Omicron variant, only four are from countries categorised as 'at-risk', which majorly comprises cases from the UK.

“We are trying our best to confine all the arriving passengers at the Hyderabad international airport till their Covid-19 test results are out and if anyone is found positive, we are taking them to Gachibowli TIMS (while their samples are sent for genome sequencing to confirm the variant),” Dr Srinivasa Rao, Director of Public Health, Telangana, told DH.

The Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) is, at present, serving as the government's isolation and treatment centre for confirmed and suspected cases of the Omicron variant.

“But the passengers from non-risk countries are refusing to cooperate. They are not understanding the seriousness of the situation and demand that Government of India guidelines should only be followed,” Rao said.

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The state, till Saturday evening, reported 20 cases of Omicron variant, while genome sequencing results of 15 Covid-19 positive samples are awaited.

Officials had to trace arrivals from Kenya, UAE, Sudan and Somalia after their genome sequencing reports confirmed the Omicron variant. Most of the patients were found to be staying in Paramount Colony, in Tolichowki of Hyderabad, known as a hub for visitors from the African countries.

Rao said surveillance, sanitisation and testing, and implementation of SOPs are being carried out in the locality, which is yet to be declared a containment zone.

While anxieties are spreading over Omicron's “local spread” in the city, the official denied reports claiming that the locals and foreign visitors are being non-cooperative with officials. “In fact, we have collected around 900 samples from the locality. While reports came in for 200 samples, only two were Covid-19 positive. We have sent these for genome sequencing,” Rao said.

The top health official said that a Somalian who had arrived in Hyderabad a few days ago for cancer treatment was shifted to Gandhi Hospital, the state's nodal Covid-19 care centre, on Monday for better medical care. “The person is already suffering from an advance stage cancer,” Rao said.

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