New Delhi: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Sunday emphasised the need to prepare amid the rapid spread of COVID Omicron variant cases in UK. Dr Guleria said India should monitor the fresh Omicron surge around the world and be ready for any eventuality.
“We should prepare and hope that things should not be as bad as in the United Kingdom. We need more data. Whenever there is a surge in cases in other parts of the world, we need to monitor it closely and be prepared for any eventuality,” Dr Guleria was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Britain reported massive surge of Omicron variant cases over the past week in what experts said it could be just a warning for a bigger wave ahead. UK authorities have said the number of Omicron infections is doubling every two to three days and the variant is likely to become the dominant form of COVID-19 throughout the country in days.
The UK has reported more than 10,000 new Omicron coronavirus variant cases as the new variant-related death toll rose to seven. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed on Saturday that an additional 10,059 cases of the new variant, three times as many as Friday and taking the total number detected to 24,968, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier, Dr Randeep Guleria stressed on the need to remain vigilant and carry out aggressive surveillance both for international travellers and in the region where there is a sudden increase in the number of Omicron variant cases.
He asserted that the efficacy of vaccines, including those being administered in India, needs to be “critically” evaluated. “The new Omicron variant of coronavirus has reportedly got over 30 mutations in the spike protein region giving it the potential to develop an immune escape mechanism. In such a scenario, the efficacy of vaccines including those in use in India needs to be evaluated critically,” the AIIMS director said.
India’s Omicron Tally at 152
With fresh cases reported in Gujarat and Maharashtra on Sunday, India’s Omicron tally touched 152. A fresh case of Omicron variant was reported in Gujarat after a student, a Tanzania national, at the Rajkot university tested positive for the new version of the virus. Maharashtra registered six new cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus.
So far Omicron cases have been detected in 11 states and Union Territories including 54 in Maharashtra, 22 in Delhi, 17 in Rajasthan, 14 in and Karnataka, 20 in Telangana, 10 in Gujarat, 11 in Kerala, and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
The Omicron coronavirus variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to three days in areas with community transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
