Omicron in India: Seven New Cases Detected in Maharashtra, One in Delhi

A man who had arrived in Delhi from Tanzania tested positive today and was admitted to LNJP hospital.

COVID-19 Omicron Variant Live News.

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• 'Omicron,' which has been declared as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), has raised alarm bells across the globe

• According to the WHO, it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible or severe compared to the Delta variant

• The B.1.1.529 strain of COVID-19, or Omicron, was first reported by South Africa on 24 November 2021

Updated at:5th Dec, 2021 at 7:11 PM

Seven More People Detected With Omicron In Maharashtra

Seven more people tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Maharashtra.

Total 8 cases of Omicron variant reported in Maharashtra so far, the State Public Health Department said on Sunday, 5 December.

Updated at:5th Dec, 2021 at 7:11 PM

Tanzania Returnee Tests Positive in Mumbai

A Tanzania returnee has tested positive for COVID-19 and his sample has been sent for genome sequencing, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar told ANI.

He is currently admitted to a hospital, while his contacts are being investigated.

Meanwhile, amid concerns about the new Omicron variant of coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), on Saturday, asked the CEO, Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), to send a single line list of international travellers arriving in Mumbai in the preceding 24 hours to the disaster management unit.

Updated at:5th Dec, 2021 at 7:11 PM

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Delhi Detects First Omicron Positive Patient

Delhi has detected its first patient positive with the new COVID variant-- Omicron.

The case in Delhi has taken India's tally of Omircron positive cases to five. The first two cases of Omicron were detected in Bengaluru, with one of the individuals flying out of India after recovering. And one Omicron case each was found in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The case was detected in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital (LNJP) where a man who had arrived in Delhi from Tanzania was admitted.

The patient was a 37-year-old male who was asymptomatic and was detected positive with the new COVID-19 variant today, LNJP MD Dr Suresh Kumar told The Quint.

"First omicron case detected in Delhi. The patient admitted to LNJP Hospital had returned from Tanzania. Till now, 17 people who tested positive for Covid have been admitted to the hospital," state Health Minister Satyendra Jain was quoted told ANI.

"The patient who has tested positive for Omicron only complained of sore throat. No fever or cough or respiratory problem. He's in isolation. The samples of the other suspected patients had been sent for genome testing, we are awaiting results."

"Samples of 12 out of 17 positive passengers were sent for genome sequencing and one of them, who arrived from Tanzania, tested Omicron positive according to preliminary reports."

Satyendar Jain, State Health Minister, Delhi

Updated at:5th Dec, 2021 at 7:11 PM

"No Need for People to Panic"

A 46-year-old government doctor in Bengaluru, Karnataka, infected with Omicron told The Hindu that it is not as deadly a variant as it is being projected to be and that those infected can be effectively taken care of in home isolation, if the symptoms are not severe.

“Out of my personal experience and the mild symptoms that I have had, I can say that Omicron infected cases too can be managed in home isolation under medical supervision. There is no need for people to panic over this new variant as there are no complications that were seen in those infected with the Delta variant. What is important is that people should not let their guard down, and they should get tested if they have symptoms."

As reported by The Hindu

Updated at:5th Dec, 2021 at 1:04 PM

Omicron Shares Genetic Code With Common Cold Virus: Report

The Omicron variant may possibly be more transmissible since it shares a genetic code with the common cold coronavirus, according to a new preliminary study, reported The Washington Post.

"By virtue of omicron adopting this insertion … it is essentially taking a leaf out of the seasonal coronaviruses' page, which (explains) … how it lives and transmits more efficiently with human beings," reported The Washington Post, quoting Venky Soundararajan, a biological engineer who co-wrote the preliminary study.

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Updated at:5th Dec, 2021 at 10:58 AM