10 South African nationals go untraceable after landing in Bengaluru

A day after Karnataka detected the first two cases of the Omicron variant in the country, the government is now faced with the predicament of tracing 10 South African nationals who have gone off the health department’s radar after landing.

Reports said the South Africans landed in Bengaluru between November 12 and 22, before the strict rules for travelers at the city airport kicked in. They, however, have gone missing while their tests are pending.

Also read: Strict compliance, booster shots – Centre’s strategy to deal with Omicron

Reports quoting officials said that two people were not found at the addresses furnished by them at the airport and their mobile phones were switched off.

The health department has reportedly requested the police to help trace the 10 individuals. Once traced, the individuals will be tested for COVID and their samples sent for genome sequencing.

So far 57 persons from ‘at-risk’ countries have landed in Bengaluru. India has put 11 countries in its ‘at-risk’ list – United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Israel – where Omicron has been detected.

Also read: Brace for Omicron spread, WHO tells Asia-Pacific countries

On Thursday, Bengaluru reported two cases of the new variant – a 66-year-old foreigner with a history of travel to South Africa and another a 46-year-old health worker in the city.