12 Omicron suspects admitted to Delhi hospital, genome sequencing report awaited

The health ministry on Friday said the severity of Omicron cases could be low because of the fast-paced vaccination in India and the population's high exposure to the Delta variant.

A total of 12 Omicron suspects have been admitted to Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan hospital in the past few days, news agency ANI reported crediting sources. Eight Omicron suspects were admitted to LNJP hospital yesterday. "Four suspects have been admitted today, out of which, two have been tested Covid-19 positive while the test results for the other two are awaited," the report said. Of these four suspects, two have come from the UK, one from France and one from the Netherlands, sources added.

The suspects include travellers from the UK, France, Netherlands. 

Samples of all four patients will be sent for genome sequencing on Friday, it said.

Omicron: 9 international travellers in Mumbai test Covid positive; 1 from South Africa

On Wednesday, six patients were referred to the hospital straight from the airport, medical director Suresh Kumar had said. Out of those six, four tested positive and two had symptoms, reports said.

The health ministry on Friday said the severity of Omicron cases could be low because of the fast-paced vaccination in India and the population's high exposure to the Delta variant. "Given the fast pace of vaccination in India and high exposure to Delta variant as evidenced by high seropositivity, the severity of the disease is anticipated to be low," the ministry said in a statement.

All states are on alert after the Centre on Thursday said two Omicron cases have been confirmed in Karnataka, including a 66-year-old South African National, who travelled back to South Africa via Dubai and a 46-year-old doctor with no travel history.

(With agency inputs)