Delhi Records Four New Cases Of Omicron Variant, Tally Rises To 10

Delhi Health Minister said that a total of 10 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Delhi so far. One of them has been discharged

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain (File Image)

New Delhi: Four more cases of the Omicron variant of Covid have been detected in Delhi which has taken the overall count of the cases in the national capital to 10.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain told the media that out of these 10, one has been discharged and nine are still admitted at LNJP Hospital. None of them is a severe case.

Jain further said that 40 people are admitted to the special facility at Lok Nayak Hospital meant for isolating and treating suspected cases of the new Covid variant.

Of the 40 people, 38 are COVID-19 positive.

"A total of 10 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Delhi so far. One of them has been discharged," Jain told reporters.

The minister said many international travellers are turning out Covid positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

"Eight such people were admitted to the hospital today (Thursday)," he said, reported PTI.

On Tuesday, Jain had said that the Omicron variant of coronavirus has not spread in the community so far and the situation is under control but the cases are surging. Jain said that LNJP had a dedicated ward for patients of Omicron with 40 beds which has now been increased to 100 considering the rise in cases across the country.

The condition of the Omicron-positive patients is stable, he said.

Delhi's first patient of the Omicron variant -- a 37-year-old man from Ranchi -- was discharged on Monday after he tested negative for COVID-19 twice, officials said.

He had travelled from Tanzania to Doha and from there, to Delhi on a Qatar Airways flight on December 2. He stayed in Johannesburg in South Africa for a week and had mild symptoms.

Under new norms, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for the passengers arriving from the "at-risk" countries and they are allowed to leave the airport only after the results come.

Also, two per cent of the passengers arriving on flights from other countries are being tested randomly.