Twelve suspected cases of Omicron have been admitted to hospitals in Delhi after they arrived on international flights over the past three days. Their samples have been sent for genome testing to confirm whether they are infected with the Omicron strain.
All are at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital in Delhi. Eight were hospitalised Thursday after they tested positive for Covid. Four more were admitted Friday but their Covid tests are not out yet.
"Four are from the UK, four from France, some from Tanzania, one from Belgium. All are stable, only one has a fever," said Suresh Kumar, Medical Director, LNJP Hospital.
He said samples have been sent for genome testing and whether any of them is Omicron-infected will be known in five or six days. "Genome sequencing is a lengthy and complicated procedure," Dr Kumar told NDTV.
Two Omicron cases have been confirmed in India so far, both in Karnataka. One of them is a 46-year-old fully vaccinated doctor from Bengaluru with no travel history. He developed symptoms of fever and body ache on November 21.
The other Omicron patient is a 66-year-old South African who came to India with a negative Covid report on November 20 and left for Dubai on a flight seven days later. The Karnataka government has filed a case alleging he "escaped" from a hotel and took a flight out.
In Tamil Nadu, two international air travellers, including a child, from 'at risk' nations tested positive for Covid early this morning. The state government has denied reports that they were cases of Omicron, clarifying that samples have been sent for genome testing.
The Omicron variant, first found in South Africa, has been confirmed in 23 countries and the number is expected to rise, WHO has said.
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