Concern in Nepal over ‘Omicron’ infection in India

In India, the number of cases of infection with a new variant of coronavirus Omicron has suddenly increased five times in a single day.

According to news agency ANI, seven Omicron infections were found in Maharashtra, nine in Rajasthan and one in Delhi on Sunday.

How many Omicron infected in India?

With the latest confirmed cases, the total number of Omicron infected people in India has now reached 21. The World Health Organization has described this variant as a matter of concern.

Looking at the contagion, it is said that it can overtake even the previous Delta variant. WHO scientist Soumya Swaminathan told Reuters it was more contagious than the Delta.

Travel to India is strict

Central and state governments in India are stepping up testing and screening at airports and other transport hubs to prevent the spread of new variants.

In Pune, Maharashtra, seven more cases of Omicron were confirmed on Sunday. They include a woman who returned to India from Nigeria and her relatives and a man who came to Pune from Finland.

According to the Rajasthan health department, the genome sequencing of a sample of a family returning from South Africa and those they came in contact with confirmed omicron in nine people.

In India, as well as in many countries around the world, there has been a sharp increase in omikron transmission.

Omicron infections have been found in 15 US states. The UK has also placed Nigeria on its “travel red list” due to Omicron’s concerns.

Travelers from countries on such a list must adhere to strict coronavirus testing and quarantine restrictions.

Concern in Nepal

The recent discovery of Omicron infection in neighboring India has raised concerns in Nepal as well.

Amid fears that Omicron could enter the country, discussions are underway to give another dose as a booster to people who have been fully vaccinated, and a decision will be made soon, the health and population minister said.

Minister Virodh Khatiwada told the BBC that the ministry would set up a mechanism to decide which people to give to and where to start. So far, only 28 percent of the total population in Nepal has been fully vaccinated.

-BBC (Nepali)