No case of Omicron variant in Punjab: State Health Minister

With the emergence of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant, all the precautionary measures are being taken by the Punjab government in the state, said the State Health Minister Om Prakash Soni on Wednesday.

Om Prakash Soni said, "There is no case of Omicron variant in Punjab. As per guidelines, testing is done at airports. All precautions are being taken by the state government."

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The minister further informed that the health officials are doing door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination in the less vaccinated areas.

"As a part of precautionary measure, the state health officials are doing door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination in the less vaccinated areas," he said.

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Meanwhile, India reported nearly two dozen Omicron cases so far. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Wednesday asked all the States to submit all the samples of positive cases of international travellers and their contacts as well as from emerging hotspots.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25.

As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.

On November 26, the WHO named the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'.

-PTC News