6 international passengers from 'at-risk' countries tested Covid-19 positive in Maharashtra

All the samples have been sent for genomic sequencing and their contact tracing exercise is underway.

Amid omicron scare that has rattled the health community across the country, the Maharashtra public health department on Tuesday informed that six passengers who arrived from South Africa or other ‘high-risk’ countries have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

All the samples have been sent for genomic sequencing and their contact tracing exercise is underway. (HT File)

Officials of the health department, familiar with the development, were quoted by news agency ANI in a report that one each in Mumbai corporation, Kalyan-Dombivali corporation, Mira-Bhayandar corporation and Pune, and two from Nigeria in Pimpri-Chinchwad corporation have tested positive.

“All these passengers, though tested Covid-19 positive, are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic,” the health department further told ANI.

All the samples have been sent for genomic sequencing and their contact tracing exercise is underway.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that a person who returned to Pune from Zambia in November has tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The emergence of the new variant of Covid-19 omicron has triggered widespread concern as multiple mutations have been found in the strain that can possibly dampen all the efforts to slow down the ongoing pandemic.

In the meantime, the Pune administration has postponed the reopening of schools for classes 1 to 7 till December 15 amid the omicron scare.

Omicron (B.1.1.529) was first reported in Botswana on November 11 this year and appeared on November 14 in South Africa. It has been declared a 'variant of concern' by the World Health Organisation (WHO). A number of countries, including South Africa, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, have reported cases concerning the new strain.

Meanwhile, on Monday, two people who returned from South Africa tested positive for Covid-19 in Bengaluru. As a precautionary measure, the authorities have made seven days quarantine compulsory for all international passengers and intensified testing and sanitisation at Bengaluru airport amid increasing concern over omicron.