On Sunday, nine people in Jaipur tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID19. As per the reports, these residents of the Adarsh Nagar were found positive for the new strain of the novel coronavirus during the genome sequencing of the samples at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital. With these additions in Rajasthan, the cumulative count of this ‘variant of concern’ in India has reached 21 now.
Administration augments ‘testing, tracing & treatment’ approach
According to the officials of the health department, samples of 34 people including the family that had retuned from South Africa and their close contacts were sent for genome sequencing at Jaipur’s state-run hospital. Out of these, 25 people tested negative, while the others had contracted the virus.
Talking about the precautionary measures undertaken by the department, Vaibhav Galriya, the Medical Secretary claimed that the health department has been working in full swing ever since the arrival of this family from South Africa. To avoid a super spread of this strain, the authorities have initiated an intensive contact tracing while the arrangements for treatment has been chalked out as well.
Authorities urge public to comply with COVID appropriate behaviour
The Medical Secretary, Vaibhavi Galriya said, “The department had already got the family from South Africa admitted to Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Jaipur (RUHS). Five other people who came in contact with him have also been found infected. They are being admitted to RUHS.”
“A family of Ajitgarh in Sikar district had also come in contact with the family. The department also traced all those eight people in Sikar. All of them have been found Covid negative. All the people who came in contact are being sampled after doing contact tracing on a large scale.” added the secretary of Medical Health & Family Welfare Department of Rajasthan.
In an attempt to curb and contain the spread of this new and more dangerous variant, the Medical Secretary urged people to comply with all the COVID-mandated protocols. While emphasising on the importance of getting the vaccine against virus, the official requested people to follow three basic measures- mask, social distancing and sanitisation of hands with soap and water or sanitisers to avoid another wave.
With inputs from ANI.
