Senior government officials said on Monday that India has not yet found new cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant. They added that two clusters are being investigated-one in Maharashtra and the other in Karnataka.

A day ago, a man tested positive for Covid-19 in Dombivli, Thane District, Maharashtra. He traveled from Cape Town to East Beverly on November 24th.

The man’s sample was sent for genomic testing to determine whether he was infected with the Omicron strain.

At the same time, Karnataka has ordered precautionary measures in the Dakshina Kannada, Madikeri, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru regions bordering Kerala. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai emphasized that the prevalence of Covid is high among people from Kerala. The state government also urged the center to impose a travel ban on passengers from South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana.

This variant appeared in Southern Africa earlier this month and has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant of concern. So far, it has spread to 15 countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged people to remain cautious after the new pressure. He addressed the media before the start of the winter meeting of Parliament.

India has announced strict inspections on international travelers, especially those from countries classified as “at risk” by the government. These are 11 such countries, plus the United Kingdom and Europe.

Japan on Monday joined a growing list of countries that have announced a ban on travel to southern African countries. “We have banned foreigners from all countries from entering the country on November 30,” Sputnik reported today quoted Kishida as saying.

Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands have stopped flights from Southern Africa.

The Omicron variant contains at least 30 mutations, more than any other strain before it. It is also considered resistant to vaccines, although scientists have sought more research.

News Source : Hindustan Times