Efficient surveillance helps identify Omicron

Hyderabad: The efficient surveillance system of Telangana to identify Covid-19 positive cases played a key role in identifying the first Omicron variant infections. The two international travellers from Kenya and Somalia, who had tested positive for Omicron, were not from at-risk countries and could have easily slipped the screening process at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport […]

Hyderabad: The efficient surveillance system of Telangana to identify Covid-19 positive cases played a key role in identifying the first Omicron variant infections. The two international travellers from Kenya and Somalia, who had tested positive for Omicron, were not from at-risk countries and could have easily slipped the screening process at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Shamshabad. However, it was the decision to randomly conduct RT-PCR tests for international passengers from non-at-risk countries, which helped authorities to identify the Omicron positive infections.

Based on the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), international travellers arriving at RGIA airport from only at-risk countries have to be screened and all should undergo RT-PCR tests. As a result, only passengers arriving from UK, Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel undergo RT-PCR tests.

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“Despite Kenya and Somalia not in the list of at-risk countries, we decided to conduct RT-PCR tests of both the passengers. When they tested positive in the RT-PCR tests, we could not shift them to TIMS, Gachibowli because there were no guidelines. We, however, decided to collect blood samples and send them for genome testing. Within a span of 32-hours, we were able to confirm Omicron variant,” said Director of Public Health, Dr G Srinivasa Rao.

Senior public health officials said that there could be a possibility that many international travellers, who had arrived from other countries to Hyderabad, might have slipped the screening at the airport.

“The fact of the matter is that despite heavy travel restrictions, Omicron has already become a major variant in UK and other European countries. At the most, we can delay and to some extent prevent the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 from transmitting quickly. However, there could be a surge in Covid infections due to Omicron in the next few weeks,” DPH said.

Also Read: Telangana Health officials warn people against mass gatherings

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