Omicron: 2 Nigeria Travellers, 1 More Test COVID Positive In Odisha; Results Of Genome-Sequencing Awaited

Bhubaneswar: The swab samples of three persons who returned to Odisha recently from foreign countries, two of them from Nigeria, have been sent for genome-sequencing to check for the presence of the Omicron variant after they tested COVID-19 positive on Saturday.

The samples were sent to the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) for genome-sequencing and the results are expected in a day or two.

The three include a 41-year-old man from Jagatsinghpur district. He returned from Nigeria three days ago and was staying in a hotel at Dolamundai in Cuttack. He has been admitted to Ashwini COVID Hospital.

Five hotel staff who came in contact with him have, however, tested negative.

“COVID positive samples of three foreign travellers have been sent to ILS for genome-sequencing. The reports are expected in a day or two. So far no Omicron case has been detected in Odisha,” Dr Umesh Ray, COVID nodal officer, said.

Earlier, four samples of foreign travellers from Odisha, who had tested COVID-19 positive, were sent to ILS for genome-sequencing. All the samples tested negative for the Omicron variant.

“We have received three samples from Odisha and one from Chhattisgarh for genome-sequencing on Saturday. Up to 700 samples have undergone genome-sequencing since November 29 but all have tested negative for Omicron,” said ILS Director Ajay Parida.