Omicron tally crosses 150 in India
SNS KASHMIR
SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 20:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria said on Sunday that in view of rising COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom, India should prepare itself for any eventuality.
“We should prepare and hope that things are not as bad as in the United Kingdom. We need more data on Omicron. Whenever there is a surge in cases in other parts of the world, we need to monitor it closely and be prepared for any eventuality. It is better to stay prepared than to get caught off-guard,” said Guleria while talking to ANI.
India has so far reported over 100 cases of Omicron.
The new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as ‘Omicron’. The WHO has classified Omicron as a ‘variant of concern’.
Meanwhile,India’s Omicron tally crossed 150 on Monday with Karnataka confirming five more cases on December 19. The five patients are from Dharwad, Bhadravathi, Udupi (2) and Mangaluru, Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar said.
According to central and state officials, Omicron cases have been detected in: Maharashtra (54), Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17) and Karnataka (19), Telangana (20), Gujarat (11), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (4).(CNS)