No cause for panic on Omicron after six passengers test Covid-19 positive, Health Min Rajesh Tope

The passengers were either ‘asymptomatic’ or ‘mildly symptomatic’, says Health Department

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Pune: Clarifying that there was no case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 virus reported from the State as yet, Maharashtra Minister for Public Health Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that the authorities were on the alert and there was no need for anyone to panic over the Omicron threat at this stage. 

The Minister’s remarks came after six international passengers who had arrived from South Africa and other ‘high-risk’ countries, have tested Covid-19 positive. Tope said that the samples of these passengers had been sent for genome sequencing and were expected in the next four-five days. 

The state Public Health Department informed that while two of these passengers returned to the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body, the others were traced respectively to Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Mira-Bhayandar Corporation and Pune. 

Authorities stressed that all these passengers are either “asymptomatic” or “mildly symptomatic.” 

The statement further read, “All their samples have been sent for genetic sequencing and their contact tracing exercise is underway. Genetic changes/mutation in viruses is a natural phenomenon and people should not panic”.

Pune district authorities informed that of the three in the district who tested positive (one in Pune civic body limits and two in Pimpri-Chinchwad), two came back from Nigeria while one from Zambia. 

Speaking to newspersons here, Tope said, “There is no need to panic or make haste. There is no prevalence of the Omicron variant in Maharashtra or the country at this stage…The Delta variant, too, is absolutely under control in Maharashtra, with the State barely reporting 700-800 cases daily”. 

He said that as per the opinions of South Africa’s medical experts, which were in turn shared by the Maharashtra’s task force members, there was no indication currently that Omicron was especially virulent. 

Tope further added, “While the new variant may be more infectious, there is nothing to indicate that it is virulent or that hospitals in South Africa are being overwhelmed by patients or that fatalities are on the rise”. 

He further noted that experts had said that the RT-PCR test did identify the Omicron variant and that there was no clinching evidence at present to suggest it ‘escaped’ double vaccination. 

Tope further added, “The World Health Organization (WHO), which is studying the Omicron phenomenon, has not yet clearly expressed whether the variant eludes vaccination or whether we need to upgrade our vaccines. Only after we receive fresh guidelines from the WHO and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on this count can we decide whether a booster dose is needed and whether vaccination for children needs to begin on a massive scale”.

Observing that the State had tightened rules for international passengers arriving at Mumbai airport in light of the Omicron scare, the Minister for Public Health exhorted the State’s public to strictly adhere to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. 

“All protocols like RT-PCR on disembarking and seven-day quarantine of international passengers are being followed. The Maharashtra government is focused on screening and testing of these passengers. We are also planning to increase Genome sequencing labs,” said Tope. 

Commenting on the State’s vaccination status, the Minister informed that approximately 82% of the State’s population had taken their first dose and 44% had received their second dose.