Chandigarh, Dec 12 (IANS) A vaccinated 20-year-old man, who recently returned from Italy, has been tested positive for the Omicron variant of Covid-19, becoming Chandigarh's first confirmed case, the health department said on Sunday, adding that he came to visit relatives in the city.
His report for the whole genomic sequencing was received late Saturday night and was found positive for Omicron variant, Health Services Director Suman Singh told the media.
He has been in institutional quarantine for 11 days.
He arrived in India from Italy on November 22. Despite having no symptoms, he underwent a retest after the home quarantine period and was confirmed to have the presence of Omicron variant.
According to officials, the traveller had taken the Pfizer vaccine in Italy.
Leaked toxic Methyl IsoCyanate (MIC) gas from the Union Carbide of India Ltd (UCIL) factory started affecting the residents of Madhya Pradesh capital city Bhopal, especially those residing in the southeast direction from the factory, around 2 a.m. on the intervening night of December 2 and 3 in 1984.
The Indian government, before taking any final decision on the resumption of international flight operations, is "closely monitoring" the situation emerging out of the detection and spread of coronavirus' Omicron variant.
On Sunday, Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to stop international flights from regions witnessing a rise in Covid-19 cases. Meanwhile, Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital has been designated to treat patients testing positive for the new Covid-19 variant Omicron.
Customs officials at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here seized 472.8 grams gold in paste form from seat pockets of a flight that arrived from Guwahati. Acting on specific intelligence, Customs sleuths recovered in gold paste form worth Rs. 23.33 lakh.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday exhorted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept his proposal for complete waiver of farmers and farm labourers' debt, adding the state is ready to take over its share of debt burden along with the government of India.
Among other questions, the MPs had sought to know the number of cases registered against farmers in connection with the agitation; the data on the number of farmers who died during the agitation held in and around the National Capital; and whether the government proposes to provide financial assistance to the kin of farmers who died during the said agitation.
