India's Omicron tally rises to 36 as Andhra, Chandigarh report first cases

India's Omicron tally rose to 36 as Andhra Pradesh and Chandigarh reported their first cases of the variant and Karnataka detected its third case.

The Andhra Pradesh patient is a 34-year-old traveller from Ireland. The person, who first landed in Mumbai, was tested and found negative for Covid-19. He was then allowed to travel onward to Visakhapatnam on November 27.

"On conducting a second RT-PCR test in Vizianagaram, he tested positive for Covid-19. His sample was then sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad for genome sequencing and the result came out as Omicron positive," the Public Health Director said in a release.

The person, however, did not have any symptoms and a re-test on December 11 showed he was Covid-19 negative. "There are no other Omicron cases in the state," the Director said. So far, 15 foreign travellers who came to the state were found Covid-19 positive and all the samples were sent to CCMB for genome sequencing.

"Of the 15, genome sequencing reports related to 10 cases were received and only one of them was confirmed Omicron positive," the Director added. The Public Health Director asked people not to worry but continue to follow Covid appropriate behaviour and take necessary precautions.

The Chandigarh patient is said to be a 20-year-old man from Italy who landed in India on November 22 and was diagnosed for the viral infection on December 1.

"He was currently living in Italy. He had come to see some of his relatives here recently… His report for whole genomic sequencing has been received late night on December 11 and has been found positive for Omicron variant," Director, Health Services, Chandigarh, Dr Suman Singh told PTI over the phone.

The youth, who is fully vaccinated, is currently in institutional quarantine.

The man, a resident of Italy, had landed in India on November 22, according to an official statement.

"He had come to visit his relatives in Chandigarh. He was under home quarantine and was found Covid positive on retesting on December 1.

"According to the protocol, he was then put under institutional quarantine. His Covid positive sample was sent for whole genome sequencing to NCDC, New Delhi. His seven high-risk family contacts were put under quarantine and were tested for Covid-19 by RT-PCR method. All of them tested negative," the statement added.

It said the 20-year-old traveller has been asymptomatic throughout.

"He is fully inoculated with Pfizer vaccine which he got in Italy. He has been kept in isolation for the last 11 days.

"His report for whole genomic sequencing was received late night on December 11 and has been found positive for Omicron variant," the statement said.

It further said he was tested for Covid-19 again on December 12 by RT-PCR method and the report is awaited.

"If he tests negative, he will be put under home quarantine for seven days and if positive, institutional quarantine will continue till his report turns out negative," it said.

His seven high-risk contacts were also tested on Sunday as a precautionary measure, the statement noted.

The Health department appealed to all citizens to follow Covid appropriate behaviour and asked those who have not taken the coronavirus vaccine or have had only one dose to complete their vaccination at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Karnataka detected a third case of Omicron in the state. In a tweet, Health Minister K Sudhakar said that the patient was a 34-year-old South Africa returnee. "He is isolated and being treated in a govt hospital. 5 primary and 15 secondary contacts have been traced and samples sent for testing," Sudhakar tweeted.

(With agency inputs)

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