New Delhi, First Published Nov 29, 2021, 2:10 PM IST
Delhi: While the new variant of Kovid 19, the Omicron Variant, is under threat, Kovid (Covid 19), a Mumbai native from South Africa, has been confirmed as a concern. His fluid samples have been sent for testing. The sap will be subjected to genome sequencing at the Institute of Virology, Pune to determine if the mutated omicron variant is the cause of the covid.
Kovid confirmed that he is a native of Mumbai Dombivli who came from South Africa. He arrived in Dubai from Cape Town on Wednesday and from there to Mumbai via Delhi. He was confirmed during a check at the Delhi airport. The patient is currently being treated at the Quarantine Center in Kalyan.
In Mumbai alone, 99 people from Omicron’s confirmed countries are being monitored. The central government has reiterated its vigilance in the wake of reports that Omicron has six times more diffusion capacity than the Delta variant.
Center to tighten vigilance
At the same time, the Union Ministry of Health has directed foreigners to tighten their secrecy at airports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met the media ahead of the parliamentary session, also said that caution should be exercised over the Omikron variant.
” The new variant requires caution. I urge everyone not to give up, “Modi said.
There is also a growing demand for the Omicron expansion to be debated in Parliament. At the same time, the Ministry of Health has reiterated the need to tighten fluctuations at airports following the issuance of detailed travel guidelines. Leave the airport only after knowing the test result. If positive, the Ministry of Health reiterated that the patient should be transferred to a monitoring center and the sap should be sent for genome sequencing. A meeting convened by the Delhi government to discuss the expansion situation will be held in the afternoon. The Delhi government has asked the Center to impose a travel ban on foreigners.
Demands for a halt to flights from countries where the new variant has been confirmed are rising from many quarters. With the lifting of the ban on international flights from December 15, the situation will be crucial.
At the same time, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter that the country was having a hard time overcoming Kovid and that everything should be done to prevent the new variant from reaching India. Several states, including Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi, have tightened checks at airports for travelers from Omikron-certified countries.
Countries with travel restrictions
Many countries around the world, including the United States, Brazil, Canada and the European Union, have banned travel to South Africa. Israel has banned all foreign nationals.
Of the nine South African countries, Australia has banned non-citizens from entering the country. A 14-day quarantine is also recommended for Australian citizens returning from these countries. Japan and the UK have banned people from South African countries. South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Oman, Kuwait and Hungary have also announced new travel restrictions.
Last Updated Nov 29, 2021, 2:10 PM IST
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