India’s first Omicron cases detected in Karnataka, health ministry says

The first two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in India, the Union Health Ministry said on December 2.

Both the infections were reported from Karnataka, with the patients being identified as 66-year-old and 46-year-old males.

All their primary and secondary contacts have been traced and are being tested, Union Health Ministry’s Joint Secretary Lav Agrawal said at a press briefing.

As part of the new guidelines, the Centre has made a negative RT-PCR test mandatory for travellers arriving from countries identified as ‘at-risk’ (where omicron cases have been reported). The central government also directed states to ramp up testing