South Africa Returnee Tests Covid Positive In Chandigarh, Samples being checked for Omicron

New Delhi: A 39-year-old Chandigarh resident who had returned from South Africa a few days ago tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. His sample has been sent to Delhi for whole genome sequencing to check for Omicron.

One of his family members and a domestic help have also been found infected with the virus.The man was tested negative for Covid upon his arrival. Later, when retested for coronavirus he tested positive. He was soon shifted to an institutional quarantine facility.

In continuation of the earlier press statement, it is hereby informed that the 39-year-old South Africa returnee who was retested today has turned out to be positive for COVID-19. His one family member and a domestic help have also tested positive for COVID-19, the Chandigarh Administration said in a statement.

However, two other family members are reported to be negative while the report of one family member is awaited, they added.

Another statement issued by the administration earlier in the day had said he was home quarantined, dismissing rumours of anyone having tested positive for the new Covid variant Omicron .

South Africa Returnee in Karnataka

A passanger who returned back from South Africa has been tested positive for COVID. Karnataka Minister DK Sudhakar on Tuesday said that the returnee’s COVID strain is “different than delta.” He further stated that the state government is closely examining the new ‘Omicron’ strain that has set off alarm bells across the country.

The test samples have been sent for genome sequencing, he said.

This comes after two South African nationals who arrived in the city tested positive for Covid earlier this month. One of them has been found to be infected by the Delta strain.

South Africa Returnee in Mumbai

A 32-year-old resident of Dombivli in Mumbai, who arrived from South Africa via Delhi on November 24, tested positive for coronavirus upon arrival. Health officials are yet to examine if he is infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

The man didn’t come in contact with anyone after returning from South Africa, Dr Pratiba Panpatil, Medical Officer, KDMC, told reporters.The patient is currently admitted at the Art Gallery isolation centre of the KDMC, the official said.