No Omicron patient has required oxygen in Delhi: Health minister

Patients also include those with no travel history and that the current spread of the infection suggests that it is spreading in the community too

Alok K N Mishra

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain speaks to the media about the arrangements made in view of Omicron cases. (ANI)

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said not a single Omicron patient in the city has required oxygen support as all of them are asymptomatic. He cited the latest genome sequencing reports and added 46% of Covid-19 patients in the Capital suffer from the Omicron variant of the disease. Jain added Omicron patients also include people with no travel history and that the current spread of the infection suggests that it is spreading in the community too.

“Around 200 patients are in the hospital out of which 115 have come directly from the airport and are asymptomatic. Out of the 200 patients, 102 are from Delhi and 98 are from outside. None of those admitted have any symptoms and have been admitted as a precautionary measure,” Jain said.

Delhi on Wednesday reported 923 Covid-19 cases with a 1.29% positivity rate. The number of Omicron cases is increasing worldwide but the infection has low severity.

Jain, who underlined there was no need to panic, said since caseload and hospital occupancy are low and that is why level one (Yellow Alert) of the Graded Response Action Plan has been activated and multiple restrictions have been imposed. “Decision on imposing more curbs will be taken in DDMA (Department Of Delhi Disaster Management Authority) meeting after monitoring the emerging Covid situation,” said Jain.

The yellow alert, which is sounded when the positivity rate stays above 0.5%, led to a night curfew, closure of schools, colleges, movie theatres, and gyms.