Bengaluru,Nov.29: Karnataka health minister, Dr K. Sudhakar on Monday said that a sample of one of the two returnees from South Africa has been tested different from the Delta variant of the Covid –19 virus.
Dr Sudhakar told reporters that he was not supposed to say anything about it officially yet as the genomic sequence report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) of the new variant Omicron is likely to reach the state on December 1.
“Until then I will not be able to tell you (Media) anything about it. Yes, one of the two arrived from South Africa is different from Delta variant. The new variant Omicron is spreading very fast across the globe. Four nations were affected by this until last evening (Sunday) and by Monday morning (today) it had spread to 12 nations globally. Hence, we all need to be more careful,” he explained.
He added that the sample of 63-Year-old patient who is a one of the two returnees from South Africa whose report sho ws he has contracted he has contracted a different variant of the Covid virus. “For the last nine months Delta variant of the dreaded virus has wreaked havoc in the country. We cannot out rightly name or link it with the Omicron variant. I am awaiting for the ICMR report on this, until then I will neither be able to confirm or reject it (Omicron’s emergence),” the minister explained.
Dr Sudhakar said that he has convened a meeting on Tuesday with the officials and health experts concerned including the Primary Health Centre level doctors, to deliberate in length about measures to be taken to contain the spread of the virus.
The minister who himself is a medical professional said that he has been in touch with some of his classmates (doctors) working in South Africa, who have informed him that the new variant is not as dangerous as the Delta variant.
“One of the reassuring facts I came across after conversation with my classmates in South Africa is that the Omicron variant is not as dangerous as the Delta variant but it spreads rapidly. According to them, those affected with the new variant would feel nausea, vomiting and sometimes the pulse rate goes up, but they would not lose sense of taste or smell. There is less hospitalization because its intensity is not severe,” he claimed.
Dr Sudhakar emphasized that the state was tracking all those who came from South Africa in the past 14 days. “We have started tracing and testing their primary and secondary contacts since Saturday,” the minister said.
According to health department officials, the two persons who flew into Bengaluru from South Africa tested positive for Covid-19 on November 11 and 20. Both were hospitalized, they added.
