Telangana has reported its first two cases of Omicron – a Kenyan woman and Somalian man – on Wednesday.
The two who traveled by different flights via Abu Dhabi and Qatar landed in Hyderabad on December 12 and had tested positive. Genome sequencing of their samples confirmed them as infected by Omicron, the Covid-19 variant reportedly spreading faster than Delta.
“They both are from non-risk countries but as random testing showed them as Covid-19 positive, we had sent their samples for genome analysis,” said Dr Srinivasa Rao, director, public health, Telangana.
A third Omicron case was also detected, of a 7-year-old boy who along with his family had arrived from a foreign country and traveled on to Kolkata from Hyderabad airport.
Rao said that the 24-year-old Kenyan woman and 23-year-old Somalian man had gone to Toli Chowki area in the city.
While officials first traced the woman and shifted her to the state-run Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences in Gachibowli for treatment and isolation, Rao later on Wednesday stated that the “missing Somalian with Covid-19 Omicron positive has (also) been tracked and shifted to TIMS”.
“The man and woman have no symptoms, they are fine and healthy. We are in the process of identifying their contacts in the last two days for testing. All the foreign nationals residing in that area would be screened for Covid-19 now.”
Rao said that there is no community transmission in Telangana because of Omicron. The top health official has however alerted the public “to take utmost care”, wearing masks indoors and outdoors.
“While the government is prepared to deal with any situation, people should also take all precautions including the two doses of vaccine. Fortunately, the public is coming forward voluntarily now,” Rao said.
While ruling out the possibility of lockdowns in the coming weeks, Rao hinted at imposition of restrictions wherever necessary.
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