In Karnataka, 69 test COVID positive at private school amid Omicron scare

Around 69 people were tested COVID-19 positive at a school in Karnataka including 59 students and 10 staff members on Saturday. All the infected students are asymptomatic, informed District Health Officer (DHO) of Chikkamagaluru. The DHO also informed that health and medical staff have been deployed to treat the patients as per home isolation protocols and that the school will be sealed for a week.  

"The school will be sealed as per the orders of DC Chikkamagaluru for the next seven days. 457 samples were collected out of which 69 tested positive. All precautionary measures as per the guidelines of govt of Karnataka are taken," DHO Dr Umesh said. 

India records 21 Omicron cases

According to the Union Health Ministry, two men aged 66 years and 46 years old tested positive for the Omicron variant in Karnataka on Thursday, December 2. Following this, an NRI from Gujarat and a man from Maharashtra tested positive for Omicron on Saturday, December 4. 

Meanwhile, on Sunday, December 5, a 37-year-old man who landed in Delhi from Tanzania tested positive for the new COVID variant. He has been admitted to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital after experiencing mild symptoms. Also, seven more people have tested positive for the Omicron variant in Maharashtra. 

COVID situation in Karnataka 

Karnataka on Sunday reported 456 fresh COVID cases and six deaths taking the caseload and cumulative fatalities to 29,98,099 and 38,230 respectively, the state health department informed. In its COVID-19 bulletin, the department said that 330 people were discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,52,708. Active cases stood at 7,132. Bengaluru Urban remained the major contributor of COVID-19 cases with 256 fresh infections and two deaths. Chikkamagaluru district reported 66 cases, which was due to a sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases with a cluster coming up in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. The District Health Officer said that all those who tested positive are asymptomatic but they have been quarantined to prevent the spread of the disease. Other districts too reported fresh COVID-19 cases including 20 in Dharwad, 17 in Kodagu, 14 in Uttara Kannada, 13 in Dakshina Kannada, 12 in Hassan and 10 in Mysuru.

(With Agency Inputs)

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