HYDERABAD: Omicron, the fast-transmissible variant of Covid-19, is spreading through the community, with authorities attributing 90% of positive cases to it.
"Wherever random genome samples have been taken and tested, Omicron is found in more than 90% of samples," said a top health official.
Telangana has been informing Centre about foreign arrivals and status of Omicron cases. But now it's a case of more cases in local community, officials said. Given this scenario, the peak is expected around last week of February, with health officials saying it could last till early March, warning that daily peak may even touch 50,000 cases if Covid-19 appropriate behaviour is not adopted.
"It is important to complete vaccination by taking both doses and it is also equally important to adhere to precautions against Covid, including wearing a face mask and maintaining physical distance," the government warned on Sunday.
According to experts, more cases of Omicron have both advantages and disadvantages. While more people will have fewer severe symptoms, the proportionate number of hospital admissions will increase.
While no in-depth studies in community transmission with the Omicron variant have been conducted, data from the Liver and Biliary Institute in Delhi show that 61% patients are asymptomatic and 96% patients are recovering at home, with an average time taken for a negative RTPCR result of 10 days.
"We have everything in place. We are also monitoring hospital admissions and we have enough beds with oxygen supply. People need not fear," health minister Harish Rao said.
On the other hand, many people in the state are perplexed because seasonal fevers are on the rise as a result of the cold and rain.
The health department said it is constantly supplying home isolation kits to those suffering from fever and other symptoms.
A total of one lakh home isolation kits were distributed, with 85% of them given within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits.
