India Should Prepare Itself For Any Eventuality: AIIMS Chief Dr Randeep Guleria Amid Rising Omicron Cases

Dr. Randeep Guleria said, “We should prepare and hope that things are not as bad as in the United Kingdom. We need more data on Omicron."

AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria. Credit: PTI File Photo

New Delhi: Amid rising cases of Omicron variant of the Covid-19 in the UK, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) chief Dr Randeep Guleria said that India should prepare itself for "any eventuality."

AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria said: “We should prepare and hope that things are not as bad as in the UK. We need more data on Omicron. Whenever there is a surge in cases in other parts of the world, we need to monitor it closely and be prepared for any eventuality."

"It is better to stay prepared than to get caught off-guard," he added while talking to news agency ANI.

Over 150 cases of Omicron variant have been reported in India so far.

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In the UK, 10,059 cases of the new strain of Covid-19 were reported on Saturday which was three times more than the numbers reported on Friday (3,201). Total cases in the country have risen to 24,968 as reported by the UK Health Security Agency. 

The Omicron variant or B.1.1.529 was first reported from South Africa on November 25. The World Health Organisation designated it as a variant of concern on November 26.

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In India, this mutated version of the coronavirus was first reported in Karnataka on December 2.