Omicron Scare: Samples Of Six Foreign Returnees Among 246 Under Genome Sequencing

Bhubaneswar: Six travellers from the ‘at risk’ countries have tested positive for the COVID since November 26, and their samples along with 240 others are being sequenced for the new variant, Institute of Life Science (ILS), Bhubaneswar, Director Ajay Parida informed on Monday.

“ILS has received samples for genome sequencing from different districts to detect the presence of Omicron. Those will again be tested for COVID and genome sequencing will be done for those with ‘Ct value’ less than 28,” he said.

The cycle threshold (Ct) value emerges in RT-PCR tests for the coronavirus and determines whether a person is positive for COVID or not.

“The process began yesterday and we have received a few from Burla and Rayagada today. Those will be sent for genome sequencing tomorrow evening. The report is likely to be out by Friday,” he said.

Parida further said that no cases with the highly-mutated variant have so far been detected in Odisha. “The 141 samples received earlier tested negative for Omicron,” he added.

Also Read: As Omicron Cases Surge In India, 40% Foreign Returnees Untraceable In Odisha

According to senior health officials, 800-odd people have returned to Odisha from the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Israel, which were placed in the ‘at-risk’ category, since November 26.