Confirmation of Omicron cases in India not unexpected: WHO
Darpan News Desk IANS, 02 Dec, 2021 11:59 AM
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) The detection of two cases of Omicron, the latest variant of Covid-19, in Karnataka was not unexpected in view of the interconnected world that people live in, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said on Thursday.
"This emphasised the need for all countries to step up surveillance, to be on alert, and rapidly detect any importance and take measures to curtail further spread of the virus," she said.
The Union Health ministry on Thursday said that two cases of Omicron have been detected in Karnataka.
"Both persons had travelled from South Africa. Their contacts have been identified and are under monitoring," said Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (IMRC).
"All Omicron related cases have been found to have mild symptoms so far. No severe symptoms have been noticed in Omicron infection in all such cases, both in the country and abroad," the Health Ministry said.
"WHO commends the countries which have been able to quickly detect and report cases of the new variant of concern," Singh said in a tweet.
She also made it clear that the response measures for all variants of concern, including Omicron, are the same as those for SARS-CoV-2.
Comprehensive and tailored public health and social measures by the government, and strict adherence to the preventive and precautionary measures by individuals is a must for all, she added.
According to the World Health Organization, the overall global risk related to the new Covid variant has been assessed to be very high.
The Centre on Thursday announced the first instalment of a fiscal relief package, worth Rs 170,000 crore, to protect the weaker sections of the society from the economic fallout of Covid-19.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday announced immediate distribution of 10 lakh packets of dry ration to daily wagers and unorganised labourers to help them during the curfew because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Urging the police personnel to exercise maximum restraint in the difficult situation, the Chief Minister asked them to find more compassionate ways of handling curfew violations, especially in cases of individuals found moving out for essentials.
A 63-year-old woman from Kangra who failed to disclose her travel history following her return from Dubai and was later tested positive for COVID-19 has been booked under Section 270 of the IPC, which carries a maximum imprisonment of upto two years.
