Indications Of Community Spread Of Omicron In Delhi, Says ILBS Study

New Delhi: There are indications of community spread of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in New Delhi, the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) has reported though there is no official confirmation.

After examining 264 genome sequences of COVID patients between November 25 and December 23 last year, a team of researchers from the institute have detected Omicron variant in 82 cases.

Of those carrying Omicron, 50 had no travel links, while 19 were foreign travellers and 13 were their contacts. The remaining 182 were Delta cases, the study of the researchers found.

“The majority of Omicron patients (61 per cent) had no documented international travel history or contact. Hence they undoubtedly acquired the infection locally, thus signifying the community spread and imposing further challenges in epidemic control,” the Deccan Chronicle quoted the institute as stating.

The study is yet to be peer-reviewed, but was posted in an online archive on Friday.

Delhi reported its first Omicron case from a person returning from Tanzania on December 5.