JOIN USGujarat Omicron patient's wife, brother-in-law also detected with new variant; tally rises to 3
Nearly a week after detection of the first case of Omicron variant of coronavirus in the state in an NRI, his wife and brother-in-law have also been found to be infected with the new strain. Senior officials said that both the relatives are asymptomatic.
With this, the number of Omicron cases in Gujarat has gone up to three, all in Jamnagar, the district which is witnessing a steady rise in covid-19 cases for the past several days.
According to local health officials, the wife and brother-in-law, who are already isolated in a designated hospital, had tested positive and their genome sequencing conducted by Gandhinagar-based Gujarat Biotechnology Research Center confirmed Omicron strain.
A senior health official said that 30 people who came in close contact with the NRI had undergone a test, out of which his wife and brother-in-law tested positive for the virus.
"Both of them are asymptomatic and under constant watch. The wife had taken the vaccine back in Zimbabwe while his brother-in-law was vaccinated in Dubai three to four months ago. They all are in isolation and under doctors' constant watch," said Vijay Kharadi, commissioner, Jamnagar municipal corporation.
The 72-year-old NRI had landed at Ahmedabad airport from Zimbabwe to meet his relatives in the city earlier this month.
Kharadi added that the condition of the first patient is also stable. Another medical officer in the city said, "Further tests on the NRI will be conducted in the next three to four days before discharging him."
He added that Jamnagar is seeing a rise in cases due to Delta strain but the next few weeks are going to be crucial when their reports of genome sequencing arrive.
Jamnagar has recorded over 30 new positive cases in the last four days including 11 on Friday.
The state health bulletin reported 63 new cases in the state while three deaths in 24 hours, one of the highest numbers in the last four months. The state has a total of 480 active cases.
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