Omicron case count in country rises to 21; Rajasthan, Maharashtra top the list

More cases of Omicron variant have emerged in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat with most patients having recently returned from the African continent – considered the origin of this new and more virulent form of the novel corona virus. The total case count of Omicron variant in India stands at 21 as on Monday (December 6).

Maharashtra has now reported 8 cases, with seven from Pune alone. Jaipur in Rajasthan recorded 9, Jamnagar in Gujarat one and Delhi one.

None of the Omicron patients is reported to be serious so far.

In the last 24 hours, the country reported 8,895 new COVID cases with 2,796 deaths, of which 2,426 were reported in Bihar alone, as per the health ministry data.

Kerala (4,557 cases) still leads in daily case count with most cases reported on Sunday (December 5), followed by Maharashtra (782 cases), Tamil Nadu (731 cases), West Bengal (621 cases) and Karnataka (397 cases).

Rajasthan

Nine people who participated in a wedding in Jaipur last week tested positive for the Omicron variant. Four of them had been to South Africa recently, said a state department official.

Also read: India may see mild 3rd wave of COVID in early 2022: IIT scientist

The Indian Express reported that the four who returned from South Africa are being treated at the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences while the others are undergoing treatment at home. The South Africa returnees are asymptomatic.

Maharashtra

The Pimpri-Chinchwad area of Pune reported six cases (all in one family) of Omicron. A 44-year-old woman, who returned from Nigeria with her two daughters on November 24, were among those who tested positive. The woman’s brother and his two daughters too tested positive for the Omicron variant, confirmed the National Institute of Virology, Pune. All the three infected adults in the family are fully vaccinated.

One of the patients has shown mild symptoms while the other five are asymptomatic.

Dr Pradeep Vyas, Additional Chief Secretary (health) Maharashtra, told The Indian Express that they have identified 13 of the close contacts of the three international passengers, of whom three have been identified with Omicron.

In addition, a 47-year-old from Pune also tested positive for the Omicron variant. He had recently returned from Finland He was fully vaccinated with Covishield.

Delhi

On Sunday (December 6), Delhi reported its first case of the Omicron variant. The patient had returned from Tanzania and had tested positive at the Indira Gandhi International Airport last week. He is being treated at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.

People who had come in close contact with the patient too have been isolated.

Karnataka

The Bengaluru municipal authorities have traced all 10 people who arrived in the state from South Africa on November 20 and subsequently went missing.

Two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus were reported in the state capital a couple of days back.