Covid-19 Omicron variant: India detects fourth case in Maharashtra

India has reported two more cases of Omicron variant, taking the tally to 4.

The 33-yr-old passenger arrived in Mumbai on November 24 from Capetown, South Africa through Dubai and Delhi, reports ANI.

According to Maharashtra Health Dept, the passenger was not vaccinated and 12 of his high-risk contacts and 23 of the low-risk contacts have been traced and all have been tested negative for Covid-19.

Additionally, 25 of the co-passengers from the Delhi-Mumbai flight have also been tested negative. More contacts are currently being traced.

The third case was reported in Gujarat.

Officials in the western state of Gujarat said the patient who tested positive for Omicron was a 72-year old man of Indian origin who had lived in Zimbabwe for decades, and returned on November 28.

India's first two cases of Omicron variant was reported in Karnataka.

Though the world awaits more information on the new Covid variant Omicron, India should be prepared to fight a possible “third wave” which may be caused by the emerging variant keeping in mind its high transmissibility but possibly low fatality, according to a health expert.

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Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Executive Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibinagar, Dr Vikas Bhatia, talking about the helpfulness of the Hybrid immunity in the possible wave, said, “It is very difficult to predict because, and even at this point of time when more than 30 countries have reported one or more cases, we are still waiting for some more information. So, in this phase, we should be preparing ourselves that a third wave may come but at the same time, it may be good news in case we find that this particular virus Omicron is not very fatal. So far no death has been reported from any part of the world.”

“It might be a mild disease. It is possibly being observed in some countries such as South Africa that the gap between the infection and the manifestation of the disease is a little longer. And when it is longer than the Delta virus, it is likely to be transmitting and infecting more and more people. Now in case, the transmission rate is high, but its killing power is low, then it can transmit and generate immunity among the people,” he added.

Dr Bhatia said that if oxygen levels decline due to Omicorn variant, then that would be a concern but he believes that due to the ongoing nationwide vaccination programme, it should not be a problem.

“Decline in the oxygen levels and the case fatality rates, they are our main concern. If those concern us more, we should not be bothering too much about the transmission of the disease. Because the vaccination programme is also going on,” he said.

Amid the scare of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus, 20 dedicated counters have been made fully operational for those who have made online bookings for Rapid and RT-PCR Covid-19 tests on arrival at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital, said the airport authorities on Saturday.