OMICRON

Omicron Covid Variant Live Updates: The whole genome sequencing of a 71-year old NRI, who landed in Gujarat’s Jamnagar city from Zimbabwe, and tested positive for Covid-19 on December 2, has revealed that the patient is infected with the Omicron variant, according to the nodal officer of Covid-19 in the city. Two samples of the patient were sent — one to Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, which detected the presence of the Omicron variant, and another to NIV Pune. The whole genome sequencing report from NIV is awaited.ADVERTISEMENTnull

This is the third Omicron case to be detected in India. Earlier this week, two people in Karnataka — a 46-year-old doctor and a 66-year-old South African national — were found to be infected with the new variant.

Meanwhile, the Centre has said that it anticipates the severity of the Omicron variant of coronavirus to be low in the country given the fast pace of vaccination and high exposure to the Delta variant and that a decision on a Covid vaccine booster dose will be on the basis of scientific guidance from experts. This comes after the first two cases of the new variant were reported in Karnataka.

Speaking in the Parliament, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday that RT-PCR tests have been conducted on more than 16,000 passengers who arrived on 58 flights from “at-risk” countries. Till now, 18 out of these have tested positive for Covid-19. He also highlighted that a decision on booster dose and Covid jabs for children will be taken on the basis of scientific guidance from experts.