2 Omicron cases detected in India, govt says don’t panic

New Delhi: Two cases of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in Karnataka, the Union government said while asking people not to panic but follow Covid-appropriate behavior and get vaccinated without delay.

Both the patients are men aged 66 years and 46 years with mild symptoms. Severe symptoms have not been noted, an official said during a press conference.

He said following the detection of the two Omicron cases through the INSACOG network, all their primary and secondary contacts were traced in time and were being tested.

The potentially more contagious Omicron variant was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24, and has been designated as a “Variant of Concern”.

The health ministry has been advising states and Union territories to keep a strict vigil and undertake surveillance of international passengers coming to the country through various airports.  Testing of samples of international travelers coming from ‘at risk’ countries on the first day and of specified category of passengers on the eighth day needs to be scrupulously done, it had stressed.

The government didn’t give out details of the vaccination status of the two international travelers citing privacy.

The Centre also said that that 373 cases of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected in 29 nations so far.

Image courtesy of Photo: indiatvnews.com

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