IMPHAL: The first Omicron case was detected in the Northeast on Monday after a person, who returned from Tanzania tested positive for it in Manipur, officials said.
“After testing positive for Covid-19...on the eighth day of his arrival in India, the sample of the male passenger, who returned from Tanzania on December 13, was sent for genome sequencing. ...the report... confirmed that he is infected with the Omicron variant,” said state health services director K Rajo Singh. He added the infected person is at an isolation facility in Imphal and remains asymptomatic.
Singh asked people to adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour and wear masks as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is spreading fast. He asked people not to panic as the government was taking all necessary steps.
Singh said the testing, contact tracing, and other Covid-19 related arrangements have been strengthened.
Health officials have been monitoring 480 people who have arrived in Manipur from abroad. Out of them, 174 have completed their 14-day quarantine and have tested negative. The remaining 306 remain under surveillance.
On Sunday, the state reported 17 Covid-19 cases, registering a positivity rate of 2.39%.