SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh reported eight more cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus Thursday, taking the total number to 15, a senior health official said here on Thursday.
He said initially, the Omicron variant was reported only from international arrivals, but now it is being recorded among the community also.
A total of 156 samples of the patients found COVID positive from December 15 to December 31 were sent for whole genome sequencing (WGS) to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi, he added.
Of the 156 samples, 43 reports were received on Thursday confirming mutations in 29 samples, he added.
Of the 29 mutations, eight WGS samples have been found positive for the Omicron variant and 21 for the delta variant, he added.
The eight new Omicron cases include five from Kullu and one each from Shimla, Solan and Chamba respectively, he said, adding none of them has any ravel history to a foreign country.
Of the seven cases reported previously, one was reported from a cluster in Sirmaur district recently, while six had international travel history, he added.
Of the six international passengers, three are from Mandi, two from Una and one from Kullu.
One of the six cases was reported on December 26, while the rest five on January 17, he added.
Seven people succumbed to COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, pushing the death toll to 3,899, while the state recorded 2,368 fresh COVID-19 cases that took its tally to 2,54,410, a health official said.
Seven men between the age group of 56 to 88 succumbed to the virus on Thursday, he said, adding that three deaths were reported from Kangra, two from Shimla and one each from Una and Mandi districts.
Nine of total 12 districts in the state reported 110 to 402 new cases.
A maximum of 402 fresh cases were found in Sirmaur, followed by 371 in Kangra, 329 in Mandi, 229 in Shimla, , 227 in Hamirpur, 137 in Kullu, 131 in Una, 110 in Bilaspur, 64 in Chamba, 20 in Kinnaur, and 10 in Lahaul-Spiti, he added.
The number of active COVID-19 cases in the state has climbed to 15,618 from 14,918 on Wednesday, the official said.
Besides, 1,661 more patients recovered from the viral disease.
With this, the total number of recoveries in Himachal Pradesh stands at 2,34,850, he said.
A steep five-time hike has been registered in active cases in Himachal Pradesh in the last ten days, a senior health official said on Thursday.
There has been a consistent rise in the number of active cases since January 8, he added.
The trend shows that the number of active cases has increased from 2,793 on January 8 to 14,918 as on January 19, he added.
Out of a total of 19,24,051 active cases in the country, 14,918 cases were from Himachal Pradesh as of January 19, he added.
The numbers of admissions of COVID-positive patients have also increased, he said, adding the bed occupancy has also increased by nearly five times in ten days.
Total 51 beds were occupied by COVID positive patients on January 8, he said, adding of them, 31 patients required oxygen and three needed ventilators.
Furthermore, he said, as on January 19, out of total 14,918 active cases, 249 COVID patients required admission in COVID-dedicated institutions.
He said of the 249 admitted patients, 132 patients needed oxygen and two patients have been on ventilators.
The rest 115 patients are maintaining good oxygen levels on room air.
The government spokesperson said most of the patients are stable and maintaining well on or off oxygen.
Of the total admission of COVID positive patients, 0.9 per cent of patients required ICU or ventilators, he added.
He appealed to the public not to panic and follow all COVID protocols of wearing masks, maintaining social distance, frequently washing hands and using sanitisers irrespective of the vaccination status.