New Delhi: LNJP Hospital Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar on Sunday said the Tanzania returnee, who tested positive for Omicron variant of the coronavirus, has mild symptoms as he had taken both vaccine doses.
“The Tanzania returnee experienced a sore throat, weakness and body ache. His contact tracing is being done. He had taken both doses of Covid-19 vaccine due to which he had mild symptoms,” ANI quoted Dr Kumar as saying.
The Medical Director said that a total of 23 patients, who came from abroad are presently admitted at Delhi’s LNJP Hospital - the designated centre for Omicron treatment.
Dr Kumar added that 17 of these patients are foreign travellers, who returned to Delhi and tested positive, while the rest six are their close contacts and awaiting their Covid test results.
“All 17 Covid-19 patients admitted at LNJP are in stable condition. Most patients are asymptomatic. Four more people have been admitted today. A special team has been constituted to attend to Omicron cases,” he said.
Dr Kumar said capacity of the genome sequencing lab at LNJP Hospital has been increased from 30-40 samples per day to 100 samples per day.
The Medical Director said the number of beds will in view of the Omicron infection be increased as per the requirement.
Currently, the hospital’s Omicron ward has 40 beds and a dedicated team of doctors and staff has been deployed round the clock to take care of those admitted.
Dr Kumar further said the hospital has also made separate arrangements for ICU.
“If any patient has low oxygen levels, they can be given oxygen support in the ICU immediately. We have all the staff required,” he added.
Advising the people not to panic in wake of the Omicron strain, Dr Kumar said: “Even though it is spreading fast, but its symptoms are mild. The complications and death rate is also low.”
“It is important to follow Covid appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated,” he added.
The Medical Director appealed to all to take their second dose of the Covid vaccine.
“If you have taken both doses of the vaccine, then any variant will not have much effect on your health. You will not need a hospital or ICU. The complications will be negligible, as this patient also has very mild symptoms,” he said.
Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday said that the Tanzania returnee tested positive for Omicron as per preliminary reports.
“Samples of 12 out of 17 positive passengers were sent for genome sequencing and one of them, who arrived from Tanzania, tested Omicron positive according to preliminary reports,” he said.
Earlier in the day, India reported its fifth case of the Omicron variant from Delhi.
The country had detected its first two cases of the Omicron variant from Karnataka earlier this week, while the third and fourth cases were reported from Gujarat’s Jamnagar and Mumbai respectively.
The Centre has designated 11 countries, including South Africa, Brazil, Zimbabwe, China, Botswana, Zealand, Israel, Mauritius, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Singapore, as ‘at risk’ nations.