Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha Report First Omicron Cases As India's Tally Crosses 200 Mark

While three Omicron cases were recorded in J&K, two cases were found in Odisha. More than 200 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in India.

New Delhi: Omicron cases were detected for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir and Odisha on Tuesday, with the nationwide tally surging past the 200 mark.

While three Omicron cases were recorded in J&K, two cases were found in Odisha.

"Three Omicron cases confirmed by NCDC, Delhi from a cluster in Jammu. Sample taken on November 20. RT-PCR testing of the entire locality ordered," the J&K health and medical education department tweeted.

READ | Omicron Three Times More Transmissible Than Delta, Hence...: Health Ministry Cautions States

The three have no foreign history and their condition is stable, PTI reported.

Two of the Omicron infected patients are from Talab Tiloo and another is a resident of Ban Talab area in Jammu, said Shashi Sudan, Principal Government Medical College.

All the close contacts of the three Omicron patients have been identified and tested over the past three weeks, PTI quoted health department officials as saying.

Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded 104 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the infection tally to 3,40,036.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) in Odisha's Bhubaneswar confirmed the existence of the Omicron variant in two patients after conducting the genome sequencing of 12 samples, PTI reported.

Officials said the patients had arrived from Nigeria and Qatar.

"The returnee from the African country is fully vaccinated, and is stable in hospital," PTI quoted Cuttack district Covid-19 Nodal Officer Umesh Ray as saying. All his contacts have tested negative, he said.

Since the Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa last month, 8,800 people arrived in Odisha from different countries, including 1,600 from at-risk nations, the officials said.

The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday wrote to all states and Union Territories, (UTs) cautioning that the new Covid-19 variant was at least three times more transmissible than Delta.

The Centre has asked the states for the imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, curtailing numbers in marriages and funerals, restricting numbers in offices, industries and public transport.