Coronavirus Highlights: Amid Omicron Concerns, Samples From Delhi, Maharashtra Being Tested

Mr Tope gave the information while talking to reporters in his home district Jalna.

"The international travellers who arrived in Mumbai from the high-risk countries have been identified and the swab samples of 28 such persons have been sent for genome sequencing. Out of them, nine persons have already tested COVID-19 positive. However, we are yet to establish whether they are carrying the new Omicron variant," he said.

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that since the start of the Vaccine Maitri Programme in January, India has supplied 723.435 lakh doses to 94 countries and two UN entities in the form of grant, commercial export or through COVAX.

Recoveries outnumbered new infections with 759 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 26,84,450 leaving 8,098 active infections, a medical bulletin said.

It, however, underscored that definitive evidence for the new variant's increased remission and immune evasion is awaited.

The ministry has issued a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Omicron variant of coronavirus which has been designated by WHO as a ''variant of concern''.

Two cases of the new variant were reported in Karnataka yesterday.

Regarding administration of booster doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidences related to this aspect.

Among the two cases, one is a traveller from abroad and the other a Bengaluru-based doctor with no history of international travel.

Dr Vishal Rao, member of the Genomic Surveillance Committee of the Covid Task Force told NDTV that stricter restrictions may now be inevitable.

Punjab has sent an email, saying that four deaths suspected to be due to lack of oxygen have been reported in a private hospital in Amritsar district, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a written reply.

All are at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital in Delhi. Eight were hospitalised yesterday after they tested positive for Covid. Four more were admitted today but their Covid tests are not out yet.

The WHO said it was collecting evidence about the variant of concern (VOC), as countries around the world scramble to stop it from spreading.

But despite a growing number of countries registering infections with the new variant, no deaths have yet been reported to the UN health agency.

One of the two persons found positive for Omicron in Karnataka "escaped" after taking a Covid negative certificate from a private lab, the state government said today. The state is also trying to track down 10 people who reportedly went missing from the airport.

"By tonight all 10 people who have reportedly gone missing should be traced and they should be tested. Travelers will not be allowed to leave the airport until their report is out," Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashok said after a top level meeting on Omicron.