Over 100 foreign returnees near Mumbai untraceable amid Omicron scare – Hindustan Times

As concerns over Omicron, coronavirus’ new and potentially more dangerous variant, grips the country, authorities in Maharashtra said 109 out of 295 recent foreign returnees in Thane district were untraceable currently.

Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) chief Vijay Suryavanshi told news agency PTI that the mobile phones of some of these people were switched off while many of the last given addresses were found to be locked.

A seven-day home quarantine and a test to detect the Covid-19 infection on the eighth day have been made mandatory for returnees to KDMC limits from all ‘at-risk’ nations (identified by the Centre), Suryavanshi further told the news agency.

“Even if it is negative, they will have to undergo another 7-day home quarantine and it would be the duty of housing society members to ensure the norm is not violated. Marriages, gatherings etc are being watched to curb violations,” he added.

Also read | 4 states, Delhi have Omicron cases in India, highest number in Maharashtra

Meanwhile, two people were found to be infected with the Omicron variant of Coronavirus in Mumbai, taking the total such cases in Maharashtra to 10, and 23 across the nation. According to authorities, the two people found infected with the Omicron variant in Mumbai are asymptomatic.

A 37-year-old man who arrived in Mumbai from South Africa and his 36-year-old friend who landed in the city from the United States tested positive for the variant in Mumbai, said authorities.

Cases of the Omicron variant have been reported from places in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Delhi. The first two cases of the variant were reported from Bengaluru last week.

The Omicron variant was first detected in southern Africa’s Botswana last month. Since then, the variant has been detected in a number of countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorised Omicron ‘variant of concern’ and warned people to remain cautious.

Experts are yet to determine if cases of this variant progress to the severe stage, or if vaccines would need to be reworked to combat it.