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Four more cases of the new variant Omicron have been detected in Maharashtra, of which two are from Osmanabad and one each from Mumbai and Buldhana. This takes the total tally of Omicron cases in the state to 32, out of which 25 patients have been discharged after negative RT-PCR test.
Meanwhile, the sixth genome sequencing of the civic-run Kasturba Gandhi hospital showed that Delta derivatives are more dominant over Delta variants. Out of the 297 samples tested for genome sequencing, 62% had Delta derivatives, 32% were found with Delta variants while only 2% samples were detected with Omicron variants. In the fifth genome sequencing, out of the 221 samples sequenced from Mumbai, 24 (11%) were infected with Delta variants and 195 (89%) with Delta derivatives.
Among the patients who were tested for genome sequencing, 103 (35%) were between 21 and 40 years, followed by 80 (27 per cent) in the 41-60 age group and 68 (23 per cent) between 61 and 80 years.
As per the report of the state government, the index patient from Osmanabad had a travel history of Sharjah. After he tested Omicron positive, the public health department traced his close contacts, of which one high risk contact was also identified with Omicron infection. The patient from Mumbai had travelled to Ireland while the one from Buldhana returned from Dubai.
The samples for genome sequencing were taken from the international fliers and close contacts in the first week of December.
Of the 32 cases in Maharashtra, 13 are from Mumbai, 10 from Pimpri Chinchwad, two from Pune Municipal Corporation and Osmanabad, and one each from Kalyan Dombivali, Nagpur, Latur, Buldhana, and Vasai Virar.
With gradual rise in Omicron cases, BMC has alerted ward officers who have been asked to maintain surveillance till January 15 with Christmas and new year celebrations coming up.
“People need to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. They need to avoid crowded places and practise double masking,” said Dr Rahul Pandit, member of the national Covid-19 task force.
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