Two Cases Of Omicron Detected In India, Confirms Centre

The first cases of Omicron in India were confirmed Thursday by the centre. The Health Ministry said the two persons who contracted the COVID-19 variant were two men, one 48 and another 68, in Karnataka. This confirmation comes following lurking fears in India of Omicron, the latest 'variant of concern' spreading across the world.

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry, in a live address said, "All Omicron related cases are found to have mild symptoms so far...In all such cases in the country and across the world so far, no severe symptom has been noted. WHO has said that its emerging evidence is being studied." 

Further details on the two Omicron cases detected in Karnataka are awaited. Updated travel guidelines were issued by the centre amid rising concerns around the variant; read here.

The men's identities have not been revealed to protect their privacy but Agarwal said people who came in contact with them are being traced. The two affected persons' symptoms are mild are they are doing fine. "There is no need to panic about the Omicron detection but awareness is absolutely essential," Agarwal said.

First Cases Of Omicron In India: What You Should Know

Omicron was earlier believed to have first been detected in South Africa with the country having raised the alarm to the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, reports show the variant was in Europe, in the Netherlands, a week prior to South African officials flagging it.

Botswana, China, New Zealand, Australia, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong and Singapore are among the countries where Omicron has been detected.

Though the effects of Omicron are milder than several other variants in affected individuals, with many even being asymptomatic, transmissibility of this virus may be high although this is yet to be confirmed. As per WHO, the variant has "several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves."

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