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Omicron India News Highlights: India has been recording rising cases of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 which has been declared as a Variant of Concern (VoC) by WHO. As of December 6, the country has 23 cases of the variant, 17 of which were detected on December 5. The first two cases of the COVID-19 variant were found in Karnataka on December 2. Subsequently, cases were then detected from Gujarat, Mahrashtra, Delhi and Rajasthan. Currently, Rajasthan has the most number of Omicron cases at 9 and then Maharashtra at 8. Anticipating the threat from the new variant the Central government tightened the travel guidelines for international passengers coming from 'at risk' countries, where passengers have to undergo RT-PCR test on arrival and will be required to wait for the results before leaving the airport or taking a connecting flight. The list of 12 at-risk countries include countries in Europe including The United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.
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A Thai health official said Monday that the country's first suspected case of the new omicron variant had been detected but authorities would withhold confirmation ahead of further test results. Head of the Department of Medical Sciences, Supakit Sirilak, said at a daily press briefing that the "likely" case of the omicron variant had been identified in an American businessman who entered Thailand from Spain.
No final recommendation was made on addiional COVID dose and vaccine for children in today's meeting of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).
(ANI)
Two more cases of Omicron variant have been detected in Mumbai, raising Maharashtra’s tally to 10.
With Omicron, the new variant of SARS-CoV2, the third wave of coronavirus could hit the peak by February with cases likely to be reaching up to 1-1.5 lakh a day in the country, but it will be milder than the second wave, Manindra Agarwal, IIT scientist involved in the mathematical projection of trajectory of COVID-19, said. He said in the new forecast, the new Omicron variant has been factored in.
With the new variant, our current forecast is that the country could see the third wave by February but it will be milder than the second wave. So far we have seen that the severity of Omicron is not like the one seen in the Delta variant, Agarwal told PTI. He, however, said a close eye is being kept on cases in South Africa where many cases of this variant have been recorded. Agarwal added that as of now South Africa has not seen a rise in hospitalisation. (PTI)
246 samples of returnees from at-risk countries sent for genome sequencing in Odisha, an official said, reports news agency IANS.
Pakistan on Monday banned travel from 15 countries, except under certain conditions, and tightened up travel restrictions on 13 other countries in wake of the threat of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.
Croatia confirms first two cases of Omicron variant
Nepal has detected its first two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the health ministry said on Monday.
A 66-year-old foreigner, who had entered Nepal from a country with confirmed Omicron variant on November 19, and another 71-year-old person who was in close contact with him tested positive for Omicron on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement. It did not identify their nationalities.
“Both of them are in isolation and getting healthcare under the supervision of health workers,” the statement said.
The number of COVID-19 cases at a school rises to 101, including 90 students and 11 staff. Samples will be sent for genome sequencing: Dr Umesh, District Health Officer, Chikkamagalur, reported news agency ANI.
Delhi govt issues show-cause notice to Etihad Airways for the alleged violation of guidelines for international arrivals issued by the Centre following the emergence of the Coronavirus variant Omicron, reads an official statement.
Russia confirms first case of omicron coronavirus variant, reportsThe Spectator Index.
