2 more Omicron cases in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha on Thursday, December 23, 2021, reported two more cases of Omicron taking the tally to four in the last three days. Official sources said two foreign returnees, who had tested positive for Covid-19 after their arrival in the State, have been detected with the super mutant variant. Their samples were sequenced at the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar. 

Both minor girls, aged 11 and 15, had returned with their parents from Nigeria to the city on December 13. Their swab samples were RT-PCR tested at Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) here and found to be Covid-19 positive. Their parents, however, tested negative.

Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra said though the minors are now asymptomatic, they have been admitted to SUM Covid Hospital as per the Centre’s guidelines. “They are being monitored constantly. Their health condition is stable and there is no reason to panic. Their family members and others, who had come in contact with them, have also tested negative for coronavirus,” he said.

ILS Director Dr Ajay Parida said the two cases of Omicron were found among nine samples sequenced at the laboratory on Wednesday. “So far 16 samples have been sequenced and four found positive for Omicron. The detection of the mutated variant among the children is a concern,” he said.

Meanwhile, after a video-conference of the Union Health Secretary with the State health officials, Additional Chief Secretary of Health RK Sharma took a review of the situation in Odisha and directed CDMOs to go for mandatory RT-PCR tests of all symptomatic cases visiting hospitals.

The State recorded 155 new Covid cases from 17 districts and one death in the last 24 hours taking the tally to 10,53,504 and death toll to 8448. With 84 fresh infections, Khurda district continued to be the major contributor to the caseload, followed by Sambalpur (10) and Cuttack (8). The active cases stood at 1,612.