India records three more cases of Omicron, tally 36

Chandigarh/Visakhapatnam: India on Sunday recorded three more cases of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, taking the tally to 36. One case each was reported from Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A 20-year-old man with a recent travel history abroad, who had come to meet his relatives, has tested positive for Omicron, becoming the first patient of the new Covid-19 variant in Chandigarh, health department officials said on Sunday. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Andhra Pradesh on Sunday reported its first case of Omicron.[/caption] Also read | Farmers continue to vacate Delhi borders after suspension of agitation "He was currently living in Italy. He had come to see some of his relatives here recently… His report for whole genomic sequencing has been received late night on December 11 and has been found positive for Omicron variant," Director, Health Services, Chandigarh, Dr Suman Singh said. The youth, who is fully vaccinated, is currently in institutional quarantine. Andhra Pradesh on Sunday reported its first case of Omicron. A 34-year-old man, who returned from Ireland late last month, tested positive for the new variant, health officials said. The man from Vijayanagaram district had come to Visakhapatnam via Mumbai on November 27. He had tested negative for the coronavirus in an RT-PCR test conducted at the Mumbai airport. However, after the mandatory 14-day home quarantine in Vijayanagaram, he was subjected to another RT-PCR test which turned out to be positive. The man, who was asymptomatic, was kept in isolation and sent his samples to Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad for genome sequencing. The genome sequencing report received on Sunday revealed that he is infected by Omicron. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720"] The Omicron variant was first detected in India in Bengaluru with two people testing positive for it.[/caption] With the first case in Andhra Pradesh, India's Omicron tally has gone up to 34. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 17. Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka have also reported cases of the new variant. Also read | PM Modi’s Twitter handle ‘briefly hacked’; company reacts The third case of Omicron was detected in Karnataka after a 34-year-old returnee from South Africa tested positive for the new variant on Sunday. “Third case of #Omicron has been detected in Karnataka. A 34-year-old male returning from South Africa has tested positive. He is isolated and being treated in a govt hospital. 5 primary and 15 secondary contacts have been traced and samples sent for testing,” State Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="960"] With the first case in Andhra Pradesh, India's Omicron tally has gone up to 34.[/caption] The Omicron variant was first detected in India in Bengaluru with two people testing positive for it comprising a South African national of Indian origin and a doctor. -PTC News with agency inputs

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