Karnataka reports five more Omicron cases, total tally rises to 8

Karnataka had reported the first two cases of the Omicron variant in India earlier this month.
A medic wearing a blue PPE kit
A medic wearing a blue PPE kit
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Five more cases of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus were detected in Karnataka on Thursday, December 16. In a tweet, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar stated, “Five more cases of Omicron have been detected in Karnataka today.”

Sudhakar further mentioned that the five positive persons were a 19-year-old male returning from the United Kingdom, a 36-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman who travelled from Delhi besides a 52-year-old and 33-year-old from Nigeria and South Africa respectively. Karnataka had reported the first two cases of the Omicron variant in India earlier this month. 

The development came even as Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the country amid reports of about 70 positive cases of the Omicron variant of the virus in different parts of the country. Preparedness of health infrastructure of all Union territories to deal with COVID-19 situation was also reviewed, a home ministry spokesperson said.

Telangana and West Bengal reported their first cases of the Omicron variant on Wednesday, December 15, while four more persons tested positive in Maharashtra. So far, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of Omicron cases at 32, followed by Rajasthan at 17. 

According to Union Health Ministry data updated as of 8 am on Thursday, India reported 7,974 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3.47, crore, while the active cases declined to 87,245.

Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 303 fresh cases of coronavirus and two deaths, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 7,158 as of Thursday, December 16. .

Out of 303 new cases reported on Thursday, 197 were from Bengaluru Urban. The city also saw 135 discharges and two deaths. Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Bengaluru Urban accounted for 197, followed by Mysuru with 21, Dakshina Kannada with 15 and Kodagu with 13.

With PTI inputs

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