India's first Omicron patient left for Dubai a week after testing Covid positive

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India is on alert after the detection of its first two cases of the Omicron variant. Two people — a 46-year-old male and a 66-year-old male — from Karnataka have tested positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. However, the 66-year-old patient, who is a South African traveller, left for Dubai on a flight seven days after testing positive

According to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru's municipal corporation, the man, who is doubly vaccinated against coronavirus, arrived from South Africa with a negative COVID-19 test report. Upon his arrival, he checked into a hotel the same day and was found to be positive for COVID-19.

He was found to be asymptomatic so the government doctor advised to self-isolate. Also, his samples were sent for genome sequencing on November 22. 

All 24 primary contacts and 240 secondary contacts were tested and found to be negative for COVID-19. Later on November 23, the man took another COVID-19 test at a private lab and the result came back negative. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said, on November 27, around midnight, the man checked out of the hotel, took a cab to the airport and boarded a flight to Dubai, as per his pre-decided schedule.

He is positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was officially confirmed on Thursday.

While the other Omicron positive patient is a local with no travel history, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said on Thursday. He is said to be a Doctor and had got an RT-PCR test done after he developed body ache and other symptoms.

His 13 primary contacts and 205 secondary contacts have been tested. The city civic body said five contacts of the local person have also tested positive and their samples have been sent for genomic sequencing.

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