Omicron Scare: Odisha To Have Separate Wards To Check Spread Of This COVID Variant

Bhubaneswar: The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is five times more transmissible than the Delta variant and those infected will be kept in separate wards in hospitals, Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra told the media on Thursday.

“Home isolation in a strict no in Omicron cases. Separate wards will be set up in hospitals for those infected by this variant of COVID to ensure they don’t come in contact with other patients,” he said.

Also Read: Omicron Infects 70 Times Faster But Is Less Severe: Study

The health department is keeping a strict check on foreign returnees, he added.

Notably, the Odisha government had sounded alert in districts bordering Andhra Pradesh following the detection of an Omicron variant in Vizianagaram in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The state has increased surveillance, testing and vaccination in these districts.

The Public Health Director further said that local representatives and the village chiefs have been directed to inform the surveillance team about foreign travellers and any suspected cases in their areas. “The government is also keeping an eye on the citizens who are registering themselves with the Air Suvidha portal,” he added.

The samples of COVID positive people, including foreign travellers and clusters in Burla and Mayurbhanj, sent for genome sequencing to the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, have so far tested negative for Omicron.

The classic symptoms of COVID-19, like cough, runny nose, high fever or sore threat are missing in Omicron patients. They mostly complain about severe headache, body pain, exhaustion, mild temperature and a slightly scratchy throat.

Also Read: What Are The Common Symptoms Of Omicron? SA Doctor Explains