Kerala reports 45 new cases of Omicron

Kerala reported 45 new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Sunday thereby taking the total number of infections in the State to 152, said the Health Department.

State Health Minister Veena George said nine of the 45 patients came from high-risk countries while 32 reached the State from low-risk countries. Four persons contracted the new variant through their contacts.

There are 16 cases of Omicron in Ernakulam, nine in Thiruvananthapuram, six in Thrissur, five in Pathanamthitta, three each in Alappuzha and Kozhikode, two in Malappuram and one in Wayanad.

"One person from Thrissur and three from Alappuzha contracted the new variant through their contacts," the Health Department said in a press release.

Most number of Omicron-infected people came from UAE, Qatar and the UK. Other countries include France, the Philippines, Turkey, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Ireland, Africa, Uganda and Ukraine.

"Till now, a total of 50 people have reached the State from high-risk countries while 84 have reached from low-risk countries. Eighteen have contracted the disease through their contacts," the release said.

The Minister asked the people of the State to exercise extra caution as the number of Omicron infections are increasing.