BENGALURU, Dec 2: Two COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in India, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, in the first confirmation of the coronavirus strain within the country’s borders that has triggered global alarm.
Both the cases have been reported in Karnataka with the patients being two foreigners aged 66 and 46, the health ministry’s joint secretary Lav Agarwal told a news briefing, adding that their identities will not be disclosed for now to protect their privacy.
All people who came in contact with the two men have been traced and are being tested, he said.
“There is no need to panic about the Omicron detection but awareness is absolutely essential. Follow Coivd-appropriate behaviour, avoid gatherings,” Mr Agarwal said.
Early indications have suggested the Omicron may be markedly more contagious than previous variants, however, there has been no evidence of the strain any deadlier.
India was set to restart scheduled commercial international flights on Dec 15, but on Wednesday scrapped that plan and said a resumption date would be announced in due course.
( Courtesy: ndtv.com)