Omicron scare: 9 Intl travellers including 1 from South Africa test COVID +ve in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now confirmed that as many as nine international travellers, including one from South Africa, who arrived at the Mumbai International Airport between November 10 and December 2, have tested positive for COVID-19. The Corporation also informed that the samples of the positive cases have been sent for genome sequencing. The fresh cases in international arrivals come amid the rising Omicron scare.  

A total of nine travellers who arrived from foreign countries have now tested positive in Mumbai. The development comes only hours after the Maharashtra Government revised its guidelines for passengers arriving in the state. The state govt issued the new guidelines after the Union Health Ministry announced on Thursday that two cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported in India, both the cases have been found in Karnataka. 

Maharashtra Govt revises COVID guidelines for International arrival

The state government has revised its guidelines for passengers arriving in the state on Thursday. The state government order noted, "In the case of domestic air travel, Passengers will either have to be fully vaccinated or compulsorily carry RT-PCR Test certificate showing negative result within 72 hours before boarding."

"The following countries are categorised as "High Risk Countries - South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe. Categorisation as "High Risk Countries" is a dynamic exercise based on evolving situation of the Omicron variant&hence will be updated as required by Govt of Maharashtra," the order added. 

Explaining the reason behind revising the guidelines, the order further said, "In order to restrict the transmission of the “Omicron” variant of the COVID 19 virus in Maharashtra State, in exercise of the powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned in the capacity of the Chairperson of the State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority hereby declares that Order."

COVID-19 situation in India

India on Thursday, December 2, has reported 9,765 fresh coronavirus infections with 8,548 recoveries in the past 24 hours. According to Union health ministry data, out of the total infections, the active cases account for less than 1 per cent, which is currently at 0.29 per cent, the lowest since March 2020. The COVID recovery rate stands at 98.35 per cent. To date, the country has administered 125 crore COVID vaccine doses under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.

(Image: PTI)