Uttarakhand reports Omicron case

DEHRADUN: After first case of Omicron variant was reported in Dehradun, health officials have declared an area near Balliwalla Chowk as a micro containment zone and started tracing people who have come in contact with the infected person.

Dr Manoj Upreti, chief medical officer of Dehradun, said the parents of a girl, who tested positive for Omicron variant, have tested positive for COVID. “We have sent their samples for genome sequencing and started tracing all the people they have come in contact so far,” he said.

Dr Upreti said another elderly couple, who had come in contact with Omicron positive patients in Delhi, was also being monitored continuously. “Their area in Rajpur has been declared a micro-containment zone and their samples have already been sent for the genome sequencing,” he said.

A 23-year-old woman, who arrived in Dehradun from Scotland tested positive for Omicron variant of Covid on Wednesday, making it the first such case in Uttarakhand.

State director general of health Dr Tripti Bahuguna said a 23-year-old girl reached India from Scotland on December 8. She said on her arrival at Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi on December 8, the girl’s sample was taken at the airport and she tested negative for RTPCR.

“She reached Dehradun with her parents by a car on the evening of the same day. On the request of IDSP Unit of the office of chief medical officer Dehradun, on December 11, her sample was taken again. Next day on December 12, she tested positive for COVID, following which she was isolated at home. She was asked to stay in home isolation for 14 days and strictly follow guidelines for home isolation,” she said.

Dr Bahuguna said the home isolation kit was provided to her by health officials and District

Surveillance Unit continuously monitored her and her parents.

She said her sample was sent for genome sequencing to Delhi-based IDSP (Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme) unit, which confirmed the Omicron variant.

She also appealed to public not to panic and follow Covid guidelines and observe caution. She also requested all to get both doses of vaccine.

The state has reported 3.44 lakh Covid cases and death of 7,415 patients.