No Omicron in Telangana, all 13 Covid +ve passengers test negative for new variant

Hyderabad: Thirteen passengers who had tested positive for the Covid 19 at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport tested negative for Omicron variant in whole-genome sequencing. No cases of Omicron have been reported from Telangana yet.

All these passengers are isolated at TIMS, Gachibowli.

Earlier in the day, a 35-year-old Covid 19 woman passenger from the United Kingdom had tested negative for the Omicron variant in whole-genome sequencing. The woman had tested positive for COVID-19 after she arrived at the RGIA on December 13. On 6th December, a total of 535 international passengers arrived from at-risk countries at RGIA but none of them tested Covid-19 positive.

Meanwhile, in Telangana on 6th December, a total of 37,108 samples were tested out of which 195 have turned positive for Covid-19. One death due to Covid-19 was recorded today and the recovery rate in the state stood at 98.84%.

Till December 5, Health officials at the airport had collected a total of 979 samples from travelers of 12 at-risk countries.

Mandatory RT-PCR tests

Passengers arriving from 12 'at-risk' countries which have reported the Omicron variant of COVID-19 now have to undergo RT-PCR tests at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad. This is in addition to pre-departure COVID-19 testing undertaken 72 hours before their departure.

The health department started implementing the new guidelines for international arrivals issued by the ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW) from midnight of November 30.

The 12 at-risk countries include entire Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel.

As per the ministry's guidelines, the passengers have to stay at the airport till their reports are out. In case a person tests positive, he or she will have to undergo 14-days isolation at TIMS, Gachibowli. The samples will be sent to the laboratories in CCMB, CDFD, and Gandhi Hospital to identify the variant. Those who test negative will be asked to undergo home quarantine.

Meanwhile, Telangana reported 195 cases of Covid19 on Monday. One death due to Covid-19 was recorded and the recovery rate in the state stood at 98.84 percent.