Chennai: Tamil Nadu reported its first case of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 on Wednesday. A 47-year-old man who had travelled from Nigeria to Chennai was tested positive with the first case of Omicron variant in the state. The genome sequencing results of the samples collected from six family members and a co-passenger are awaited.
According to Heath Minister Ma. Subramanian, the sample of the Chennai resident was analysed at the genome sequencing facility of State Public Health Laboratory, where the S-gene dropout was discovered. It was forwarded to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which confirmed the Omicron variant.
The man was sent to Government Corona Hospital, Guindy. Six members of his family, including a 16-year-old, had also tested positive and were isolated in hospital. T he S-gene dropout was discovered during the initial investigation of their samples, said Ma. Subramanian. The Minister also added that the contacts of co- passengers were also being tracked down. All seven persons except the 16-year-old had taken two doses of vaccines and hence showed only minor symptoms of the variant, he said.
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