Chennai, Dec 23 (UNI) A total of 33 new Omicron cases were reported in Tamil Nadu, taking the total to 34, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian announced on Thursday.
Talking to reporters here, he said the genome sequencing results received from samples taken from air passengers who came from both high-risk and low-risk countries revealed that 33 more people were infected with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
With a 47-year-old man from Chennai, who arrived from Nigeria via Doha already testing positive for Omicron, the total number of cases in the state rose to 34.
Of the 34 cases, 30 were air travellers who arrived from abroad. With this, the total number of Omicron cases in India has touched 269.
Tamil Nadu stands third in the country behind Maharashtra (65) and New Delhi (64).
All the Omicron infected people were asymptomatic and their condition was stable. They were undergoing treatment in government and private hospitals.
Subramanian said of a total 57 samples sent for testing and 33 returned positive. The results of the balance 24 samples were awaited.
He said 20 more air passengers have reported S-gene drop out, seen as a marker to Omicron, and their samples were sent to Bengaluru for testing. They were quarantined.
Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said all those infected with Omicron were being provided treatment.
In view of the increase in the number of Omicron cases, the Health Department has intensified surveillance in all the airports.
The state government has written to the Centre seeking permission to test all passengers arriving from low-risk countries as the number of Covid cases from these countries was higher than those arriving from high-risk countries.
It said random testing of 2 per cent of passengers from low-risk countries would not yield the desired results in preventing the spread of Omicron variant.
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