CHENNAI/TIRUCHY: Amid the Omicron scare, three international passengers who landed in Tamil Nadu have tested positive for Covid-19. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing to check whether they are infected by the Omicron variant.
One of the infectees is a 56-year-old Singapore returnee who landed at the Tiruchy Airport. He hails from Thanjavur and has been isolated at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchy, said Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS-Tiruchy) Dr Subramani.
The flight, with 141 passengers on board, landed in Tiruchy on Thursday night. All others tested negative for Covid-19, according to sources. The other two infectees are a 10-year-old girl and a 32-year-old woman who arrived at the Chennai Airport from the UK. The patients, along with their family members, have been isolated at the Government Corona Hospital at the King Institute, Guindy, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Friday.
“Their samples will be genome sequenced at the State Public Health Laboratory, Chennai. For double-checking, the samples would be sent to InStem, Bengaluru. “Only after genome sequencing will we know whether the passengers are infected by Omicron. It will take a week to get the results. Once the results come, the State will release them,” he said.
The minister requested the public to not spread any rumour on social media that the Omicron variant has reached the State. “It’s a sensitive issue. Social media users should behave responsibly,” he said. The minister said passengers in two rows in the front and two rows in the back of the row where the patients sat aboard the plane will be tested. The air hostesses will also be tested.
On facilities, Subramanian said exclusive wards with 30-40 beds have been opened in six government hospitals, including at Government Omandurar Medical College, Corona Hospital in King Institute, Guindy, and the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. International passengers who test positive for Covid-19 will be admitted to these exclusive wards and will be treated as per the treatment protocol, the minister said.
Subramanian said, as of now, no new restriction will be imposed on inter-state travel in the wake of the detection of Omicron cases in Karnataka. Whatever be the variant, he said, following Covid-appropriate behaviour like observing social distancing, wearing face masks and getting vaccinated will offer protection against infection by the virus.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said that delta variant is still active and dominant in the State. He appealed to the public to be cautious. The health secretary, however, said there is no need to panic about the new variant. On the booster shot of vaccine, he said it will be administered if the Union government grants approval for it.
13th mega vaccination camp today
Health Minister Ma Subramanian said the State has achieved nearly 80 per cent coverage of the first dose of Covid-19 vaccines and 45 per cent for the second dose. Around 80 lakh people are yet to take the second dose. He urged the public to use the 13th mega vaccination camp to be held across the State on Saturday. He said Tiruchy has the highest footfall from Singapore, one of the 11 countries categorised at ‘high-risk’, compared with the other three international airports in the State
