The Health Ministry of India confirmed on Thursday that two cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been detected in Karnataka. One of the patient is 66 years old and the other is 46 years old.
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Lav Agarwal, the joint secretary of the Union Health Ministry told the reporters at the press briefing that both the positive patients have been put in isolation and their primary and secondary contacts have been identified. India is now among the 30 countries in the world where Omicron variant on COVID-19 has been detected. It was first detected in South Africa on November 24.
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The Union Ministry of Health said that Omicron can be five times more infectious compared to other COVID-19 variants. It also has increased transmissibility.
Till date, 1,375 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected around the world.
Lav Agrawal said that the State is going to follow the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour as a measure to counter the variant.
Dr VK Paul, member of Niti Aayog, said ,“Not fear but responsibility is the mantra we will take forward to face thchallenges posed by Omicron. We will face the threats with science-driven, experience-driven, preparedness-driven approach."
Wearing masks can protect one from the infection. Paul called it a universal vaccine at the press briefing.
The Ministry also said that the cases of Delta variant of COVID-19 have been dominant in India since April 2021.
Globally, there has been seen a surge in the COVID-19 yet again and about 70 per cent of the cases have been detected in Europe.
The Union Ministry said that India and other South East Asian regions have only reportedly 3.1 per cent of the world's COVID-19 cases in the past one week.
On a weekly basis, 15 districts in India are reporting more than 10 per cent COVID-19 positivity. 18 districts are reportedly COVID-19 positivity between five to 10 per cent, on a weekly basis.
As per the government notification, about 49 per cent of the adult population in India is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with two doses.
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