Northeast's First Omicron Patient Detected In Manipur

The first case of Omicron variant of coronavirus in the Northeast was detected in Manipur on Monday.

A 48-year-old patient, who is a resident of Imphal West district, recently returned from Tanzania via Delhi, a health official said. The man tested positive for COVID-19 on the eighth day of his return to India.

Manipur Health department told NDTV that after the patient's return to the state his sample was collected on December 21 and sent for genome sequencing at the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) in Imphal.

According to the reports, his sample was found to be infected with the Omicron strain on Monday.

The patient is currently undergoing treatment at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal and his condition is stable, Dr K Rajo Singh, Directorate of Health Services said.

Three members from the patient's family have also tested positive for coronavirus. Their samples are not yet confirmed for the Omicron variant, government officials said.

In March 2020, a 23-year-old woman who had returned to Manipur from the UK, was reported to be the first coronavirus case in the entire northeastern region. She was also the first coronavirus patient to recover in the region.

Manipur government issued an order stating that people in the state will adhere to Covid appropriate behaviour and wear masks mandatorily. Masks have been found effective against all variants of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Manipur reported 17 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the state's tally to 1,25,723. The northeastern state at present has 182 Covid-19 positive cases with a 98.62% recovery rate.

In view of the fast-spreading Omicron variant, India on Saturday announced booster shots for health and frontline workers and those above 60 from January 10. The states of Assam, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have enforced night curfews with strict restrictions on huge gatherings.

(With inputs from PTI)