Karnataka omicron found, one of them No travel history

By Anil Gundmi Last updated Jul 6, 2023 - 5: 12 pm

Among the two positive cases of Covid-19’s new and highly contagious Omicron variant detected, one of them is a local resident with no travel history, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Thursday.

India’s first two cases were detected in Karnataka, the Union Health Ministry informed earlier today. “2 people found positive for the Omicron variant of COVID19. One person is about a 66-year-old, South African national, who has gone back. Another person is a 46-year-old doctor. He doesn’t have any travel history,” Sudhakar told reporters.

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Out of his (doctor’s) primary and secondary contact, 5 people tested positive for COVID-19, the state health minister added. This brings the total to 6 people who are positive. They have been isolated, admitted to govt hospital and none of them showing any serious symptoms. All these people are fully vaccinated, the minister added.

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Sharing details of the Omicron variant cases, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said, the first is a 66-year-old male, who is a South African national. “He had come come here (Bengaluru) on November 20, his samples were collected at the airport and subsequently he tested positive. His samples were sent for genome sequencing the reports of which have come today confirming he was infected by Omicron,” he said.

Further noting that the person was isolated in a hotel, and was subsequently tested separately at another laboratory, during which his reports came negative, the Commissioner said, he left the country for Dubai on November 27, as per his pre-decided schedule.

All his 24 primary contacts and 240 secondary contacts have tested negative, he said, adding that “but they are still kept under watch.” Regarding the second person, a 46-year-old male, Gupta said, his samples were collected on November 22, following which he tested positive.