New Delhi: The first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was reported on Sunday in Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh respectively. Eight people tested positive in Madhya Pradesh after returning from abroad. From nine samples received for genome sequencing in Himachal Pradesh, only one case was confirmed.
As for travel history, three instances from the United States, two each from the United Kingdom and Tanzania, and one from Ghana were among the eight cases in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, six of the patients have now tested negative and have been released from the hospital. The other two are asymptomatic and are being treated.
Himachal Pradesh: First Omicron Case Detected In Mandi
According to health secretary Amitabh Avasthi, the first case of Omicron in Himachal Pradesh was detected a few days ago in the Mandi district.
On December 12, a 45-year-old woman tested positive with the novel COVID-19 variant. The Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital performed her RT-PCR test.
He claimed the woman arrived in India from Canada on December 3 and had been alone at home for 14 days.
She has since recovered and tested negative on December 24, according to Avasthi.
Madhya Pradesh: Eight Omicron Cases Reported In Indore
On Sunday, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra announced that eight cases of the Omicron strain of coronavirus had been discovered in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
The MP government is reporting cases of the novel virus type for the first time in the state.
"Eight Omicron cases have been found in Indore. Out of these patients, six have recovered and have been discharged while two are undergoing treatment," Mishra, who is the state government's spokesman was quoted by PTI in its report.
Besides this, at least four returnees from the United Kingdom on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata.
A 57-year-old returnee from Nigeria, four other members of his family, and their domestic help have tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam, PTI reported officials as saying.
Andhra Pradesh also reported two more cases of the Omicron variant today, taking the tally to six.
(With inputs from PTI)