Omicron Cases In India Rise To 26, Centre Raises Alarm Over ‘Declining’ Mask Usage

NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul raised concern over the compliance with masking as he urged to learn from the global situation.

NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul (ANI Photo)

New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday stated that overall cases of Omicron variant in the country had reached 25 and all detected infections have mild symptoms.

“Overall 25 Omicron cases in the country so far. All detected cases have mild symptoms. Less than 0.04 per cent of total variants detected”: Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary at Union Health Ministry said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Later, the tally rose to 26 as another case was reported in Mumbai’s Dharavi.

The tally of Omicron reached 26 on Friday as the wife and brother-in-law of an NRI man, who had been found infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Gujarat a week back, were also detected with the new strain, officials of the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation (JMC) revealed, as reported by news agency PTI.

Later, one Omicron case was found in Mumbai’s Dharavi area. The person had returned from Tanzania and is now admitted at SevenHills Hospital, ANI reported Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as informing.

BMC stated that the patient is asymptomatic and is not vaccinated. Two people who had come to receive the patient have been traced as well.

Addressing a press briefing at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said: “Two countries had reported Omicron cases till November 24. Now, 59 countries have reported cases of Omicron. These 59 countries have reported 2,936 Omicron cases. Besides this, 78,054 probable cases are detected - their genome sequencing is underway”.

Talking about the COVID situation, he mentioned that overall positivity rate was at 0.73 per cent in the country last week and less than 10,000 cases were recorded in the last 14 days. Active cases are highest in two states - Kerala and Maharashtra with over 43 per cent active cases in the former and over 10 per cent in the latter, he said.

“WHO highlighted that public health measures should be abided by on a continual, besides vaccination. Adequate precautions have to be followed… Laxity in public health measures leading to a surge in cases in Europe”: Lav Agarwal said, as quoted by ANI.

He stressed that measures like surveillance, effective screening, monitoring of international travellers, and health infrastructure upgradation are being undertaken. “States have been notified to increase their surveillance and actively test passengers arriving from other countries,” the Joint Secretary added.

NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul raised concern over the compliance with masking, as he said: “As far as protection capability is concerned, we are now operating at a risky and unacceptable level. Mask usage is declining. We have to remember that both vaccines and masks are important. We should learn from the global situation”.

Meanwhile, Balram Bhargava, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), stated that regular meetings are being organised to keep a watch over the global scenario and COVID situation in India with a focus on Omicron. “We need help to not spread panic. District level restrictions to be implemented where positivity over 5 per cent,” he added.

Study On Vaccines’ Effectiveness Against Omicron Underway: Health Minister 

Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Lok Sabha that the study on the effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron variant is underway and once the experts give their opinions, a decision on the booster dose will be taken, news agency IANS reported.

“We have initiated a study immediately and as of now, there are 36 labs in India where the ‘Genome Sequencing’ has been done. These labs can do 30,000 genome sequencing every day and also we have been trying to tie up with private labs to increase the capacity”: Mandavia informed while responding to a question during the Question Hour in the Lower House. 

He also emphasised that the nation trusts its scientists and the booster policy will go ahead based on their suggestions following appropriate research.

Replying to a question asked by BSP’s Ram Shiromani Verma over the impact of Omicron on children, the Health Minister stated that the study on Omicron is underway and once the experts give their opinion, the Union government will decide on vaccination for children below 18 years.

Congress MP Manish Tewari sought to know whether any study has been done on the side-effects of COVID-19 vaccination. Mansukh Mandaviya said that no such study has been undertaken so far. 

“With great difficulties, the people have come out from vaccine hesitancy, so we do not want to get a study as of now barring some exceptional cases. We want to get the vaccination of all eligible populations with both doses as soon as possible,” he explained.

(With Inputs From Agencies)