Karnataka records 5 new Omicron cases from 2 cluster outbreaks, informs State Health Min

Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar informed on Saturday that two cluster outbreaks of COVID-19, which includes five more cases of Omicron variant,  have been reported from two educational institutions in Dakshina Kanna district of state. 

Taking to Twitter, Health Minister wrote:

On December 2, India's first two Omicron cases-- a South African national who has left country, and or a local person, a Doctor with no travel history, were detected in state of Karnataka.

Meanwhile, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Friday, December 17, informed that no decision has been taken so far regarding compulsory quarantine for international arrivals from ‘at-risk’ countries. It clarified that decision has not been me for such passengers, even if y test negative for COVID-19. Earlier, Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar h said that all passengers must undergo home quarantine even after testing negative for Coronavirus.

Omicron tally crosses 100 in India

Amid ongoing scare of spre of newly detected Omicron Variant, Health Ministry on Friday informed that around 101 cases of Omicron variant have been detected across 11 states in country so far. Lav Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, informed during Health Ministry’s briefing that re are over 100 Omicron cases across 11 states in India and ‘highly mutated’ variant has been reported in 91 countries in world.

He informed that as per World Health Organization’s prediction, Omicron is spreing faster than Delta variant in South Africa, where circulation of Delta variant was low. He ded that WHO h also warned that ‘It's likely that Omicron will outpace Delta variant,’ where community transmission occurs. Speaking furr about India’s COVID-19 situation, he said daily new cases were recorded below 10,000 for past 20 days and case positivity for last 1 week was 0.65%.

On December 17  country's COVID-19 Task Force Chief and a member of NITI Aayog, Dr VK Paul, stated need to be cautious and prepared in wake of emergence of latest strain. dressing Health Ministry's briefing in national capital, Dr Paul drew parallels with worrying pandemic scenario in United Kingdom and highlighted potential spre in Indian population.