Nagpur: A 40-year-old man from Nagpur district who arrived from South Africa earlier this month tested positive for the newly-discovered Omicron variant on Sunday.
The report was released by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), taking the total tally of the state to 18. Out of the 18 tested positive, a three-year-old has also been tested positive for the omicron variant. According to sources, the male patient had traveled to a city in West Africa, where the samples were sent for genome sequencing.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) sent a total of 15 samples for testing, including two samples of international flyers. As of now, the result of only one sample has been released and conveyed to AIIMS. The positive patient is a resident of Dighori and has been admitted to AIIMS hospital. Reportedly, the 40-year-old had a negative RT-PCR test report when he reached Delhi but tested positive at Nagpur Airport.
His family members have been tested negative and it was found that he wasn’t fully vaccinated. He has been asymptomatic since the day he was admitted. He reportedly said that he is all fit and fine and ‘can do push-ups with ease.’
Another RT-PCR test will be done on the 10th day of infection, if negative, he will be allowed to go back home. Recently, the first case of Omicron variant in Maharashtra was discharged after testing negative. Experts claim that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the delta variant but isn’t deadly. Till now, no deaths due to the Omicron variant has been reported in India.