Two cases of COVID-19's Omicron variant have been reported in India so far, said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry, on Thursday, 2 December, at a press conference held in New Delhi.
Both cases have been found in Karnataka, in fully vaccinated males aged 46 and 66 years. Contact tracing is being done, government authorities said at the press conference, adding public need not panic.
Meanwhile, Karnataka officials in a press conference confirmed that two primary contacts of the 46-year-old patient have tested positive for the virus. Three secondary contacts of the patient too have tested positive, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike commissioner Gaurav Gupta said.
It is assumed that these five patients have contracted the same variant, the official said. Meanwhile, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, "Samples of these patients are sent for genome sequencing. It is, however, assumed that they have the same variant because they are contacts."
Karnataka Cases Had Many Primary and Secondary Contacts
The 46-year-old male was declared COVID positive on 22 November. The patient had 13 primary contacts and 250 secondary contacts.
The five who have tested positive are among these contacts.
Health Minister Sudhakar said, "The 46-year-old patient does not have travel history. He is a doctor at a government hospital. His samples were sent for genome sequencing because of low CT count, meaning high viral load." The patient who is a healthcare professional could have come in contact with someone infected with the variant, the minister added.
“So a total of six people have been isolated, admitted to government hospital. None of them showing any serious symptoms. All these people are fully vaccinated,” the health minister added, as per ANI.
Meanwhile, the 66-year-old had tested positive on 20 November. His primary and secondary contacts were 24 and 240, respectively.
All these contacts have tested negative, the BBMP commissioner said.
The 66-year-old had arrived from SA with a negative test report, and was found to be positive on the day of his arrival, NDTV reported. On November 23, the man tested negative for the virus and was asymptomatic. He left Bengaluru for Dubai on 27 November.
'Mild Variant of the Virus'
Further, the Union Health Ministry's Joint Secretary has said that all Omicron-related cases are found to have mild symptoms so far.
"In all such cases in the country and across the world so far, no severe symptom has been noted. WHO has said that its emerging evidence is being studied," Lav Agarwal added.
VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog, according to ANI, stressed on "increased COVID-19 vaccine uptake" as the "need of the hour" and said "do not delay in getting fully vaccinated."
Karnataka CM Reacts
Meanwhile, reacting to the developments Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said: "We are very cautious." According to ANI, he added:
"I've discussed this with Union Health Min. He said he'll give further details. Our duty is now to track and trace such strains and their contacts wherever it's found. We're already tracking & tracing international travellers."
CM Bommai also said: "We are holding a meeting tomorrow with all these details."
The state will come out with new SOPs on Friday, 3 December, as per the CM. Presently, they are "trying to get the experts' view and Government of India's guidelines on this".
Omicron variant has been dubbed 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organization (WHO).
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