Omicron Alert: 11 Countries Under 'At Risk' Category, Rigorous Checking Being Done At Airports, Says Scindia

Winter Session: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia responding verbally in Lok Sabha on Thursday said that the government has placed 11 countries in the risk category.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradiya Scindia in Lok Sabha

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New Corona Variant: Amidst the growing threat of Omicron on a global scale, several steps have been taken by the Government of India as a precautionary measure. One of these includes rigorous checking of people travelling from 'at risk' countries. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday gave a verbal reply during the winter session in the Lok Sabha saying that the government has placed 11 countries in the risk category.

Meeting convened by Health Minister amid Omicron threat

He said that the countries that have been included in this risk category are all countries of Europe including the United Kingdom - South Africa, Botswana, Brazil, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel. Significantly, Corona infection cases in countries are on the rise amid the growing threat from the new variant of Omicron. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with the state governments and Airport officials on Thursday morning over measures to be taken for the international and national travellers to track passengers with the Omicron variant of Covid. 

First case of Omicron variant detected in the US 

Meanwhile, the first case of Omicron, a new variant of Coronavirus, came to light in the US on Wednesday. An infection has been confirmed in a person who returned to California from South Africa and was fully vaccinated. Scientists around the world are onto gathering information about this new nature of the virus so as to determine whether it is more dangerous than the other variants that emerged earlier.

Sharing the information, Dr Anthony Fauci, the top specialist in infectious diseases in the US "We knew that sooner or later the first case of this nature would be confirmed in the US," he said. The person found infected with Omicron returned from South Africa on November 22. He was found infected on Monday after showing partial symptoms of the infection.

California officials reported the man has been administered both doses of Moderna vaccine but has not taken booster doses so far. His condition is improving. Officials further said that those in close contact with the person have been tested and found negative. The patient is currently under quarantine.