Italy returnee is Chandigarh's first case of Omicron

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12

The city reported its first case of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 today with a 20-year-old Italian resident testing positive for it.

The youth, a resident of Italy, landed in India on November 22 and tested negative for Covid-19 on his arrival at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar. He then travelled to Chandigarh to meet his relatives and was staying in the Mani Majra area.

The youth, who is fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and has been asymptomatic, was put under home quarantine and was tested again on December 1 after he completed eight days in quarantine. The Italy returnee tested positive for Covid-19 on December 1 after which his sample was sent for genome sequencing to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi.

The Health Department shifted the man to institutional quarantine at the Mani Majra Civil Hospital. His seven high-risk family contacts were also put under quarantine and tested negative for Covid-19 on December 1.

According to the Health Department, the traveller was kept in isolation for 11 days. The youth was tested for Covid-19 again today and returned negative. A health official said he would now be put under home quarantine for seven days.

His seven high-risk contacts were also tested again today as a precautionary measure and five of them tested positive for Covid. Their samples will be sent for genome sequencing to Delhi tomorrow and they have been home-quarantined for now. Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services (DHS), Chandigarh, said, “There is no need to panic. The Health Department appeals to all citizens to follow Covid appropriate behaviour and those who have not taken the Covid vaccine or have had only one dose should complete their vaccination at the earliest.”

5 contacts test +ve, samples to be sent to Delhi

His seven high-risk contacts were also tested again on Sunday as a precautionary measure and five of them tested positive for Covid. Their samples will now be sent for genome sequencing to Delhi on Monday and they have been home-quarantined for now.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.