Omicron: Seven more people test positive, total 12 in India

Seven more people tested positive for the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Maharashtra, taking the total number of cases of the new coronavirus variant in the state to eight, informed the public health department on Sunday. The public health department, said, "Seven more people test positive for Omicron variant of COVID19 in Maharashtra. Total 8 cases of Omicron variant reported in Maharashtra till now."

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The health department added, "A 44-year-old woman who returned from Nigeria on November 24 and five of her relatives have tested positive for omicron variant.These cases are reported from Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune." One person aged 47-year from Pune city has also tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19. There are eight active cases in the state including one from Kalyan Dombiwali, 6 from Pimpri Chinchwad and 1 from Pune city.

The new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'.Dozens of countries have imposed travel restrictions on the southern African nations since the mutation was discovered.

The new Omicron coronavirus variant has been confirmed in 23 countries and their number is expected to rise, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said. India has also added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in the country, including post-arrival testing for infection.