India’s count of Omicron cases on Sunday rose to 38 following four more people (one each from Kerala, Karnataka, Chandigarh and Andhra Pradesh) being infected with the variant, according to local officials.
A 20-year-old man, who reached Chandigarh from abroad to meet his relatives, has tested positive for Omicron, becoming the first patient of the new COVID-19 variant in Chandigarh, Health department officials here said on Sunday.
"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 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.
On the other hand, Karnataka on Sunday reported the third case of Omicron variant of COVID-19 with a man who arrived from South Africa testing positive for it.
"Third case of #Omicron has been detected in Karnataka. A 34-year-old male returning from South Africa has tested positive. He is isolated and being treated in a govt hospital. 5 primary and 15 secondary contacts have been traced and samples sent for testing," State Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted.
The Omicron variant was first detected in India in Bengaluru with two people testing positive for it comprising a South African national of Indian origin and a doctor.
With inputs from hindustantimes.com
