Genome test detects 33 more Omicron cases in TN

Genome test detects 33 more Omicron cases in TN

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:24.12.2021

Whole genome sequencing has confirmed the presence of Omicron variant in at least 33 more Covid-19 patients in Tamil Nadu, health minister Ma Subramanian said on Thursday. With this, 34 patients — passengers with an international travel history and their close contacts — were found to be positive for the variant.

“We have received confirmation that 33 more people were carrying the new variant. Earlier, a person who travelled from

Nigeria via Doha tested positive for Omicron,” Subramanian said. As per ICMR protocol, all international passengers from ‘at-risk’ countries should undergo screening at airports. Those who test negative are allowed domiciliary quarantine and are instructed to do a repeat test on the eighth day. Those who test positive will be sent to hospitals for isolation and their samples will be sent for whole genome sequencing tests to labs in Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune. At least 2% of passengers from other countries are tested.

First Omicron patient gets discharged

On Friday, health department will brief the CM and senior officials on advisories issued by the Union health ministry so the state can plan for prevention and management of the viral infection, Subramanian said.

Meanwhile, the first Omicron patient, a person who travelled to Chennai from Nigeria via Doha, was discharged from the Government Covid Hospital in Guindy along with two of his relatives on Thursday. With this, Omicon cases in the state dropped to 31. “They had mild infection and have now tested negative,” Subramanian said.

Until 8am on Thursday, the state had tested 15,259 passengers, who had travelled from ‘at risk’ countries, and 2,870 of the 1,00,950 passengers who travelled from other countries. Of the 18,129 tests, 114 passengers — 45 on arrival, 48 on the eighth day and 21 family and close contacts — have tested positive .

The state sent all 114 samples to whole genome sequencing labs. Among the 114 Covid-19 patients, S-gene drop was noticed in 57. On Thursday, the state received results for 60 samples. Most (33) of them were Omicron positive and 20 were Delta positive, he said. Almost all 114 patients suffered a mild form of the viral infection and 26 patients have been discharged until Thursday evening, he added. During a meeting on Thursday, the state health department again insisted on the need for testing on arrival and mandatory home quarantine for international passengers. “Of the 57 patients who had Sgene drop, nearly 37 were passengers or contacts of passengers who travelled from countries that were not at risk. While 19 contacts of patients from other countries were tested positive, there were just two among people who came from countries at risk,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.

The state, he said, pushed for booster doses, vaccination for children and urged the Centre to extend the service of health care workers appointed on contract under the central scheme until March 31, 2022.