Three unvaccinated Covid deaths infected with Omicron, shows BMC report

Dr Mangala Gomare, the executive health officer, BMC said that with the rise in Covid cases in Mumbai in June, they had sent the naso-oropharyngeal positive sample for genome sequencing

Mumbai While the city reported five deaths second day in a row, the latest genome sequencing report by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Kasturba Hospital Central Laboratory, revealed that three of the Covid deceased in June, who had not taken a single dose of the vaccines, were infected with the Omicron variant.

All the five deaths reported on June 27 were senior citizens with multiple comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension (Bachchan Kumar)

In June, the city saw 38 deaths and 39,121 Covid cases. All the five deaths reported on June 27 were senior citizens with multiple comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension. The city reported 1,062 cases on Monday, while Maharashtra reported 2,369 fresh infections.

Dr Mangala Gomare, the executive health officer, BMC said that with the rise in Covid cases in Mumbai in June, they had sent the naso-oropharyngeal positive sample for genome sequencing from hospitalised patients as well as people testing positive in dispensaries and laboratories.

“We had more than 1,000 Covid positive samples that had high viral load for genome sequencing. There were hospitalised patients too. In the genome sequencing report, 39.7% (107) of the Covid patients found to be infected with the Omicron variants, had not taken the Covid vaccine,” she said. Dr Gomare added that of the 107, 22 were hospitalised and five were in the intensive care unit.

“One patient was put on oxygen. But there were three patients who died and they had not taken the vaccine. This once again highlights the need to take the vaccine. We appeal to everyone who has not been inoculated yet to take the jab. The vaccine has proved to safeguard you from the severity of the disease,” she said.

About 60.59% (163) of the Covid-19 patients found positive with the omicron variant were in the age of 21-60, of which 40% (108) were in the 21 to 40 age group. Around 10.78% (29) were in the 0-18 age group.