Two fully vaccinated persons who returned from abroad last month have tested positive for the new Omicron strain of coronavirus in Mumbai, the first cases of the variant found in the metropolis, the civic body said on Monday.
Maharashtra's Omicron variant of COVID-19 , total tally rises to 10.
One of them was a 37-year-old man who had come from Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 25. His 36-year-old friend, who had come from the U.S. the same day, has also tested positive for the new variant, said the State Public Health department.
Also read: Fresh cases in Maharashtra, Gujarat take India’s Omicron tally to 4
Both patients have no symptoms and have been admitted to the Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai. Both have taken Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Five high-risk and 315 low-risk contacts of both these patients have been traced. Further tracing is currently under way.
All 6263 international passengers from at-risk countries and 635 of the 28,437 who arrived from other countries at three international airports in the State — Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur — have undergone RT-PCR test. Only 11 from at-risk countries tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra government on Monday reduced the rates for RT-PCR tests. ₹350 will be charged for pick up of sample from collection sites, transport and reporting of sample. ₹500 will be charged for collection from kiosks, COVID care centres, hospitals and clinics, quarantine centres etc. ₹700 will be charged for collection of sample from the patient’s residence.
Labs cannot charge more than the prescribed limit from patients, said Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope.
