Thiruvananthapuram: As India reported its first two cases of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus detected in Karnataka, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Thursday assured that the state government has taken all possible steps in the context of the new Covid-19 variant as per the Central government’s guidelines.
‘We have taken all possible steps in the context of Omicron as per union government’s guidelines. RT-PCR tests are done at airports. Travellers coming from high-risk countries have to take RT-PCR test on arrival’, Veena George said. She added that travellers also have to undergo seven-day quarantine and on the eighth day they have to take the RT-PCR test again following which they have to be in self-observation.
‘2 per cent of passengers coming from non-high-risk countries would be chosen for RT-PCR test and be in self-observation for 14 days’, Veena George said. ‘Genomic surveillance is on, we are vigilant and have taken all probable steps’, she added.
Also read: Passengers from ‘at risk’ countries should undergo RT-PCR test on arrival: Health Ministry
The Centre on Thursday informed that two people have tested positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in Karnataka. A 46-year-old and a 66-year-old men were those who contracted the variant. As many as three primary contacts and two secondary contacts of the 46-year-old Karnataka man who was found infected with the Omicron variant have also tested positive for the Covid-19. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing and the results are awaited.
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