Omicron Variant: Authorities Urge People To Follow SOP’s

“People should follow SOPs, wear masks, maintain hygiene and social distance, avoid gatherings and unnecessary travel.”

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday reported the first three cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus from Talab Tillo and Bantalab areas on the outskirts of Jammu City.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Jammu Dr. JP Singh while confirming the three Omicron cases said the authorities are tracing the contacts, and residents of the localities will be tested again.

Singh said that a few Talab Tillo women had attended marriages and the Health Department is trying to ascertain whether any foreigner or local with foreign travel history had attended the marriages. He said the administration is trying to find the source of the infection.

Government officials said the variant was detected in a sample taken on November 30. Three Omicron cases were confirmed by NCDC, Delhi from a cluster in Jammu.

In J&K, 104 new COVID positive cases were reported on Wednesday, 26 cases from the Jammu and 78 from the Kashmir division.

India now has a total of 200 cases of Omicron variants. The World Health Organization has warned that the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly and infecting the vaccinated.

Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) Spokesperson, Dr. Mir Mushtaq told Mountain Ink that there’s no positive case of Omicron in Kashmir yet. “Obviously it’s a threat, new variants come with the newer challenges. Covid is a threat since the beginning and it’s not over yet. Since the emergence of Covid-19 nothing has changed in terms of SOPs, treatment, and vaccination,” Dr. Mushtaq said.

He said that the department is fully prepared for any variant. “It’s the responsibility of common people to follow SOPs, wear masks, maintain hygiene and social distance, avoid gatherings and unnecessary travel. When the authorities and people work together, everyone would be safe.” 

“This virus will keep mutating but people should not worry about it, instead they should follow necessary precautions. We haven’t considered the lockdown as the Covid-19 situation is under control so far,” Dr. Mushtaq added. 

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole chaired a meeting, earlier this month, to see the possible threat from the Omicron variant.

Pole stressed on intensifying the disease surveillance network with rigorous screening and follow-up of all the international travelers coming from all entry points to the Kashmir division. He also designated a Nodal Officer for Surveillance of International travelers.

Nearly 800 international travelers have been screened at Srinagar International Airport from the last 15 days and not a single traveler has tested positive for Omicron variant or coronavirus.

Divisional Commissioner also directed that all the passengers with international travel history during the past 14 days be subjected to RTPCR test and that they stay in the Administrative Quarantine till the reports of the test are available or they can also avail Rapid RTPCR test on paid mode which gives results within 3-4 hours.