Omicron Responsible For Steep Spike In COVID Cases In Odisha? 70% Prevalence In Khurda

Bhubaneswar: Omicron seems to be fast replacing the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Odisha with around 60 per cent of samples collected randomly from 10 districts testing positive for this highly mutated and more transmissible SARS-CoV2.

According to the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), 274 samples were collected from Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Ganjam, Khurda, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, Nayagrah, Jajpur and Sundargarh between January 9 and January 16.

Among them, 25 were rejected as they didn’t have the required cycle threshold or CT value to be put to sequencing while 148 of the remaining samples were detected with this new variant.

“It clear beyond doubt that Omicron is fast replacing Delta as the more prevalent strain and is responsible for the recent spike in cases in the state,” ILS director Ajay Parida told the media.

Khurda district has the highest percentage (70) of Omicron prevalence followed by Cuttack (65), the study further revealed.

Also Read: Odisha Registers Sharp Jump In Omicron Cases; Affected Tally Rises To 347

On Saturday, 36 Omicron cases were detected, which was about 75% of the samples sequenced. The tally of people infected by this variant in Odisha has now gone up to 347.

Notably, 74.5 per cent of community samples sequenced last week was that Delta variant and the rest Omicron. These samples were drawn from nine districts between December 29 and January 9.

Of the 263 samples randomly drawn from the community, 196 were detected with Delta and its sub-lineages (AY.44 and the original B.1.617.2 ) and 67 with Omicron.

Also Read: Delta Not Omicron Drives The Surge In Odisha, Check ILS Study