New Delhi: Maharashtra reported eight fresh cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus on Tuesday, with seven being reported from Mumbai and one from Vasai Virar, the latest health bulletin said.
With the detection of the new cases of Omicron, the variant which has triggered global alarm and prompted another round of travel restrictions, Maharashtra's tally now stands at 28 and India's at 57.
"A total of 28 patients infected with Omicron have been reported in the state. Out of these, 9 have been discharged after negative RT-PCR test," the health bulletin said.
None of the patients had a history of international travel, the state health department said. The bulletin said one of those who have been infected with Omicron had travelled to Bengaluru, while the others had visited New Delhi.
Seven of these eight persons were vaccinated and their swab samples were taken for testing in the first week of December.
About 60 nations have reported cases of Omicron, which has been classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation.
Four More Omicron Cases In Delhi
Earlier in the day, four more cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus were detected in Delhi. All have travel history to foreign countries.
"So far, six people have been found Omicron-positive in the capital. One of them has been discharged. All of them had travelled to foreign countries and were transferred to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital from the (Indira Gandhi International) airport," Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain told reporters.
Delhi's first Omicron patient, a 37-year-old man from Ranchi, was discharged on Monday after he tested negative for COVID-19 twice, PTI reported.
Under the Centre's new travel guidelines, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for passengers arriving from the "at-risk" countries and they can only leave the airport only after the results come.
Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Covid Task Force chief VK Paul on Tuesday said India should have vaccine platforms that are 'adaptable quickly' with changing nature of the variants.