Odisha’s top health official cautions people after detection of 2 Omicron cases

Bhubaneswar: Amidst rising concerns following detection of the first two Omicron cases in Odisha, Director of Public Health Niranjan Mishra today informed that total 8,880 people have returned to the state since November and around 1,600 of them were from ‘at-risk’ countries.

Briefing mediapersons, the senior health official said “Since November, all foreign returnees, including those returned from ‘non at-risk’ countries have been kept under surveillance. Among the foreign returnees, 12 persons have so far tested positive for COVID-19. After genome sequencing, two of them have been found infected with the Omicron variant.”

However, there is no need to panic as the situation is totally under control in the state, he added.

Cautioning that the new variant is highly transmissible, Mishra urged people to strictly follow Covid Appropriate Behaviour like social distancing, use of mask and hand sanitizer.

Also Read: BREAKING! Two cases of Omicron confirmed in Odisha

“Those fully vaccinated are found roaming carefree in public violating the safety norms. Since the transmission rate of Omicron variant is very high, every one should properly follow COVID Appropriate Behaviour,” he said.

Sharing details on the two Omicron cases reported in the state today, the official said both were returnees of ‘non at-risk countries’. While one of them was asymptomatic, another had symptoms like cough. Both are under isolation and their condition is stable now.

Today, the state reported 146 fresh COVID-19 cases taking the total caseload to 10, 53, 166, including 1,792 active cases