In Kashmir, first 5 cases of Omicron variant detected from tourists

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Today in the Kashmir division, the first five cases of Omicron variant infected patients were confirmed after getting the samples in the third week of December. Three of the samples had been taken from tourists in Anantnag district.

From district Baramulla, a pregnant woman, a Shopian man coming from Dubai and a family of three from Mumbai in Maharashtra visiting for tourism purposes were infected with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 in Kashmir, today the J&K Government confirmed about the same. In J&K now, the five Omicron cases take the total number of confirmed cases of the fast-spreading mutant to eight. However, the samples pertain to 22 December and since the past three weeks; the actual number of Omicron in the samples sent for sequencing from the UT is not certain.

Chief Medical Officer Anantnag, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Shah explained that the three samples reports of which were received from Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) today had been sent for Whole Genome Sequencing on December 22. He stated that the samples had been sent from GMC Anantnag and had been taken from three tourists from Mumbai Maharashtra. “They had proceeded for home isolation as soon as they tested positive. They have even tested negative now,” he said.

A woman in her ninth month of pregnancy had tested positive after her sample had been taken at SDH Uri. A senior health official stated that the woman was “totally asymptomatic”. For the purpose of delivery, her sample had been taken. “She had no travel history and has tested negative as well now,” he said.

On December 15th, a Shopian man who came from Sharjah to Srinagar through Delhi had tested positive after eight day home quarantine. His sample was found positive. He was then sent for sequencing on December 22 as per the protocol. The man was then shifted to DRDO Hospital Khanmoh. The patient tested negative on January 1, a health official said.

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