THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state is awaiting the results of the three samples sent for genome sequencing to detect the new variant of Coronoavirus, Omicron. The samples have been taken from the three persons who have come from high-risk countries and have been tested positive for Covid-19 here.
Health minister Veena George said that so far there was no threat in the state and more samples were being collected from those who have come from the high-risk countries and are having even the slightest symptoms.
Meanwhile, George defended the circular issued by the director of health services that the district medical officers should not speak to the media. She said that the circular will not be withdrawn. The circular had said that only the health minister or the director of health services can speak on the issues relating to Omicron to the media.
She said that the circular has been issued to have a unified information in the messages being passed to the media. There is no ban on giving the information to the media, but the decision is to have no conflicting reports being given to the media.
On the visit made by her to the Attapadi tribal hospital and the criticisms made by the hospital superintendent, George said that the visit was planned a day before and it was a surprise visit made to the hospital. More such visits will be made in the future too.
George said she was not ready to listen to the criticisms made by the hospital superintendent and was not ready to comment anything on that.
Meanwhile, the state has started to source the testing kits for Omicron such that the tests can be done in the labs here itself. At present only Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology is having this testing facility in the state. Hence the state government has decided to seek the permission of the ICMR and the Union health ministry to conduct the tests in the state itself if the number of suspected cases increases.
