Zimbabwe Returnee Tests Positive For Omicron Variant Of COVID; Confirmed Cases Rise To 3

Picture courtesy ANI

New Delhi: Two days after Healthy Ministy confirmed the first two Omicron cases in India, a 72-year-old man, who returned from Zimbabwe, has tested positive for this highly-mutated variant of COVID in Jamnagar city of Gujarat.

The sample of the patient sent to Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre detected the presence of the Omicron variant, while the whole-genome sequencing report from NIV is awaited, reported Indian Express. 

The place where the Omicron-infected man stays has been declared a micro-containment zone and Gujarat officials are tracing and testing people there, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Gujarat, Manoj Aggarwal told news agency ANI.

A 46-year-old fully vaccinated doctor from Bengaluru with no travel history and a 66-year-old South African national, who came to India with a negative COVID-19 report, were earlier found afflicted with Omicron.

Meanwhile, testing and surveillance of all incoming international passengers, especially from at-risk nations, have been stepped up.