Omicron variant: What we know so far on cases in India and vaccine efficacy

As many as 16,000 international passengers have been tested for Covid-19 from 58 flights and only 18 of them tested positive, the health ministry stated. Moreover, only two cases have been found positive with the new Omicron variant in India.

Even as fears over Omicron rise across the world, the Union health ministry on Friday said the new variant of the coronavirus disease is expected to cause less severe infections in India, owing to vaccinations and a prior exposure to the Delta variant that had infected nearly 70 per cent of the population during the second wave of pandemic.

Health workers wearing PPE kits in hospital. (Representative image)

The country has so far reported two cases of the Omicron variant -- both in Karnataka, following which its state government announced preventive measures, including compulsory two-dose vaccination for entering malls, cinema halls or theatres, and for parents of school or college-going students.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has also directed officials to increase screening of international passengers at airports, asked educational institutions to postpone their public events, and limit gatherings, meetings, conferences to 500 people.

Here's what we know so far on the Omicron variant in India:

• Out of about 400 cases in the world, two have been detected in India so far, both of which are “not so intense”, according to Karnataka's revenue minister. The patients who contracted the variant include a 46-year-old man and a 66-year-old senior citizen.
• In Maharashtra, swab samples of 28 international passengers have been sent for genome sequencing of which nine persons have tested positive Covid-19 between November 10 and December 2. “We are yet to establish whether they are carrying the new Omicron variant,” state health minister Rajesh Tope said.
• In Delhi, 12 Covid-19 patients are suspected to be infected with the Omicron variant. All of them are admitted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital. According to news agency ANI, eight Omicron suspects were admitted to LNJP hospital on Thursday. Among the other four suspects, two arrived from the UK, one from France and one from the Netherlands.
• Meanwhile, the government is considering booster doses for citizens above 40 years of age based on the recommendation of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genetics Consortium or INSACOG. The body also stressed on the inoculation of all those who are unvaccinated yet and are “at-risk”.
• So far, the US and Britain have recommended booster doses of vaccines for all adults, six months after the second dose.
• During the ongoing Parliament Winter Session, opposition parties have sought to know from the Centre about the roadmap for vaccination and clarity on booster doses, while the government has hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s steps to combat the pandemic.
• Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said in Parliament that RT-PCR testing of over 16,000 passengers on 58 flights from 'at risk' countries have been done so far and only 18 of the samples have been found to be positive for Covid-19. “Their genome sequencing is underway so that it can be determined if they have the Omicron variant,” he said.
• The government has noted that nearly 84 per cent of the Indian population has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, with more than 125 million people due for a second by the end of November.
• The Union health ministry said that precautions and steps to be taken remain the same as before, stressing on expediting the vaccination process. “It's essential to mask yourself properly, take both doses of vaccines (if not yet vaccinated), maintain social distancing and maintain good ventilation to the maximum possible,” it noted.
• The latest Covid-19 variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25 and was declared a ‘variant of concern’ based on its high transmission rate.