Sad we didn't stop flights from affected nations: Arvind Kejriwal over Omicron detection in India

NEW DELHI: Following the detection of the first two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus in India, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said it was sad that international flights were not stopped from affected countries.

He had on Sunday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to stop flights from countries affected by the new variant of coronavirus with immediate effect.

Of the two cases of the Omicron variant detected in Karnataka, one is a 66-year old South African national who came to Bengaluru on November 20. The other is a 46-year-old man who is said to be an anaesthetist at a hospital in Bengaluru.

He has no travel history to South Africa or any other country. He tested positive on November 22. According to a government official, both the patients had mild symptoms.

Tagging a news report about the detection of the Omicron variant in Karnataka, Kejriwal on Thursday tweeted, "It's sad that we did not stop flights from affected countries." In his letter to Modi on Sunday, the Delhi chief minister had said, "Our country has fought a tough fight against corona for the last one and half years.

"With great difficulty and due to the selfless service of millions of our Covid warriors, our country has recovered from coronavirus." In view of the new coronavirus variant, a number of countries, including those in the European Union, have suspended travel to the affected regions, he had said.

Amid concerns over a possible third wave, Kejriwal on Tuesday said his government is fully prepared to tackle the situation and has ramped up oxygen production and storage facilities and prepared an adequate number of oxygen-supported beds for patients.