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Omicron in community, 54% cases show variant, says Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain

Delhi reported 1,313 Covid cases Thursday, up from 923 on Wednesday. Positivity rate also increased from 1.29% to 1.73%.

Currently, all those who have or are suspected to have contracted the Omicron variant are admitted to the government’s Lok Nayak Hospital or four private hospitals – Sir Ganga Ram, Max Hospital-Saket, Fortis Hospital-Vasant Kunj and Batra Hospital. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)Currently, all those who have or are suspected to have contracted the Omicron variant are admitted to the government’s Lok Nayak Hospital or four private hospitals – Sir Ganga Ram, Max Hospital-Saket, Fortis Hospital-Vasant Kunj and Batra Hospital. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

The new omicron variant is circulating in the community in Delhi and is possibly the reason behind the recent increase in Covid cases, said Health Minister Satyendar Jain Thursday.

“Covid cases have increased rapidly over the last few days. As per the genome sequencing data, 54% of these are omicron variant, including people who have travel history as well as those who do not. This means omicron is now in Delhi,” said Jain in an online briefing about increasing cases.

Delhi reported 1,313 Covid cases Thursday, up from 923 on Wednesday. Positivity rate also increased from 1.29% to 1.73%.

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The total number of Covid patients admitted to hospitals on Thursday was 150. This includes patients from the airport. Of the 150, 83 are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms; 66 have moderate symptoms and are on oxygen support. Only one person has severe symptoms and is on ventilator support. Out of the 150 patients in hospitals, 118 are from Delhi. An additional 111 people who either have Covid or are suspected to have the disease are lodged in Covid Care Centres.

Delhi’s active Covid case count has jumped from 557 to 3,081 in a week’s time.

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The Indian Express reported that the Delhi Disaster Management Authority in its meeting Wednesday accepted the possibility of community spread after no history of international travel or contact with an international traveller was found after the investigation in nearly 60 cases reported over Monday and Tuesday. Furthermore, 64 of the 73 new cases reported on Wednesday also did not have any history of travel or contact.

Keeping the rise in Covid cases and that of the omicron variant in mind, the Delhi government has ordered four centres to create step-down isolation or quarantine centres for those who might have the omicron variant.

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Director General of Health Services Nutan Mundeja passed an order Thursday allowing institutional isolation of Covid positive international passengers or their contacts arriving at the airport, at paid as well as free Covid Care Centres.

There will be 100 beds in Terapanth Bhawan that will be linked to Ambedkar Nagar hospital, 100 beds at Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre linked to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital, 100 beds at IBIS hotel linked to Indira Gandhi hospital-Dwarka, and another 50 at CWG village linked to Lal Bahadur Shastri hospital. The centre at CWG village will be scaled up to 500 beds, according to an order issued by the special secretary (health) S M Ali. The linked hospitals will provide manpower, consumables, and arrange logistics for the centres as per the order. Currently, all those who have or are suspected to have omicron variant infection are admitted to the government’s Lok Nayak hospital or four private hospitals — Sir Ganga Ram, Max hospital-Saket, Fortis Hospital-Vasant Kunj, and Batra Hospital.

First uploaded on: 30-12-2021 at 15:48 IST
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