MUMBAI: Two Mumbaikars have tested positive for Omicron, taking the tally of the new Covid variant in Maharashtra to 10, according to the state health update on Monday.
BMC officials said the first patient in the city is a 37-yearold resident of the western suburbs who returned home from South Africa on November 25. His 36-year-old fiancée, who returned from the US on the same day, was among his high-risk contacts who were tested. Their Covid-positive samples, taken for genomic sequencing, showed the Omicron variant.
Both are asymptomatic, vaccinated (with the Pfizer shot) and at present admitted in Seven Hills Hospital for observation, said BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani. Five high-risk and 315 low-risk contacts of the couple have been traced and more are in the process of being traced, state surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate said.
Ajit Pawar calls for strict rules on Covid for cities with int’l airports
The emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa has led to surveillance on all international travellers from countries classified as high-risk.
In Mumbai, Omicron suspects have now increased to 29 since the surveillance started on December 1.
“We have found 20 travellers from high-risk countries who are positive. They include 16 males and four females. While tracing the contacts of these 20 patients, we found nine were positive,’’ said BMC executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare.
Samples of all these patients have been sent for whole genome sequencing.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said on Monday that the government needs to take strict measures as Omicron is now infecting children.
Four children—the daughter and nieces of a Pimpri-Chinchwad patient—are among 10 identified with the Omicron variant in Maharashtra.
Pawar also said the Centre should come out with a policy on the booster dose.
“In view of the growing crisis of Omicron, it is imperative that the health department of the central government announce and adopt a strict policy. Cities that have international airports should have a separate set of rules,” Pawar told mediapersons.
In Mumbai, the public health machinery has already been tweaked to respond to the threat posed by Omicron, additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said. He said a quarantine policy is in place.
“Our war rooms have been activated to trace contacts. We are carrying out a massive IEC (information, education and communication) programme on the need to observe Covid-appropriate behaviour,” Kakani said, adding that the policy would be tweaked if cases rise.
Giving out details of international passengers who have arrived at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur airports since December 1, Dr Awate said all 6,263 travellers from high-risk countries so far have been subjected to Covid test; 11 tested positive.
Their samples have been sent for genomic sequencing to check for the Omicron variant.
Of the 28,437 who arrived from at-risk countries, 635 were tested and none were positive.
The state government is also carrying out field surveillance checks on passengers who arrived from high-risk countries between November 1 and 30.
“Totally, through airport and field surveillance, we have collected 34 Covid-positive samples that have been sent for genomic sequencing,” said Dr Awate.
