ANANTAPUR: The Anantapur administration has sounded an alert after the first positive case of Omicron variant was reported from the district – it being a UK returnee, who reached Anantapur via Bengaluru international airport on December 18.
The district administration has sent samples of the foreign returnee after the passenger tested C-positive on December 21, to the CCMB for test to ascertain if it was a case of Omicron variant. Sources said the Omicron variant was detected from the traveler by the CCMB late on Saturday.
The 51-year-old foreign returnee arrived at Bengaluru international airport and later reached Anantapur. District health office was alerted over the C-positive case of the new variant and the patient was kept under observation in quarantine. In addition, the medical authorities were at work tracing the contacts of the patient to avoid further spread of the virus. The health condition of the patient, however, was stable.
Though three samples of Covid positive cases were sent for CCMB prior to the arrival of the foreign-returnee, the trio reportedly tested negative for Omicron. Still, results for five more samples from CCMB were awaited in Anantapur district.
While Bengaluru international airport is closer to Anantapur and is main flight arrival point for Sathya Sai devotees to Puttaparthi, employees to KIA Motors India and also RDT persons to Anantapur district, the administration was put on an alert over possible spread of the new variant.
Official records show so far 1,290 foreign returnees arrived
in various parts of Anantapur district in the recent days and 1,200 of them were identified while the teams were on search for the whereabouts of the remaining 90 foreign returns.
In a related development, the Karnataka government announced a night curfew in the state from December 28 for a period of ten days following the rise of Omicron variant cases. While the Karnataka government decided to effect restrictions on the borders of Kerala and Maharashtra, the AP government also directed the border areas to take all necessary steps.
Anantapur district administration has started taking action by collecting random samples at the border check posts and is keen on completion of 100 per cent vaccination for all people in the border areas through special drives.
