Omicron suspects now 28 in Maharashtra, infected samples from past week sent for genome sequence
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent all samples taken from those who have been infected with coronavirus in the last one week to conduct genome sequencing.
FollowAs fears mount over Omicron variant of coronavirus, the count of Omicron suspects in Maharashtra has gone up to 28, including 10 from Mumbai. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent all samples taken from those who have been infected with coronavirus in the last one week to conduct genome sequencing. The results should be available next week. BMC officials are hopeful because the basic RT-PCR test on six of the 10 city suspects found the S gene (in an indirect way, ruling out Omicron which doesn’t have the S gene); results of the remaining will be available soon.
The civic body has already started tracing international travellers who have been landing at the Mumbai airport since November 11. If found positive, their samples are being sent for genome sequencing to check for Omicron.
“According to a list received from the airport, more than 1,000 international passengers from ‘countries at risk’ have arrived in Mumbai since November 11. Many of them have already completed 15 days and there is very little chance that they may test positive for the virus. However, they could have come in contact with other people. So, samples of daily cases will be sent for genome sequencing,” said an official.
Also read: Coronavirus: India reports 9,216 new COVID-19 cases; recoveries soar over 3.4 crore
Among the international passengers who have arrived at Mumbai airport since November 11, around 100 are from the city. They have been traced and tested, said BMC officials. So far, six international passengers from ‘countries at risk’ have been found positive and their samples sent for genome sequencing. They are from Mumbai, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune.
With the Maharashtra government amending its air travel rules in view of global concerns over the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation cancelled its previous guidelines issued to the city airport authorities and asked them to follow the revised ones as issued by the state.
The state government’s amended air travel rules mandate seven-day institutional quarantine of passengers from only three ‘high-risk’ countries - South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, while for domestic travel, passengers will either have to be fully vaccinated, or carry negative RT-PCR test report obtained within 72 hours before boarding.
