Three foreign returnees test positive, isolated
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 21 2021: Amid the steps being taken up to screen passengers for preventing spread of highly transmissible Omicron variant in the state, three state natives, who recently returned from abroad, have tested positive for Covid-19 .

The three individuals have been isolated as soon as their test results came positive and their samples have been sent for whole genome sequencing to ascertain if they are infected with Omicron variant or not.

Meanwhile, JNIMS director professor L Deben has appealed to the public not to get alarm by the information while stating that all possible measures are being taken up to screen and contain Omicron and other variants of Covid-19 by the state health department.

Two of them returned from Amsterdam in the Netherlands while one had visited Canada.

Professor Deben personally assessed condition of the three patients, who have been kept isolated in JNIMS Covid Ward 3 on Monday evening.

The JNIMS director said that the two from Amsterdam arrived in India on December 9 and the one from Canada returned on December 13 .

Since their samples are yet to be tested for Omicron, they are being kept in isolation on the advice of JNIMS Society president chief minister N Biren.

All of them are fine and they are not showing any symptoms, he said.

Even if their samples return positive for Omicron variant, there is no reason to get panic as the hospital is all set to face any challenge.

Besides, following the simple protocol of wearing face masks, washing hands properly, using hand sanitisers and maintaining social distancing can easily prevent spread of the virus, he stressed and appealed to all to get their complete doses of Covid vaccine and help in fighting the Covid-19 and its new variants.

As per a recent circular issued by the state government, all international returnees need to stay in seven days' home isolation followed by mandatory RTPCR test.

Mention may be made here that the Netherlands Prime Minister had announced lockdown from December 20 after Omicron cases spiked in the country, with its capital city Amsterdam one of the most affected areas.

All non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed until 14 January starting Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a hastily arranged press conference on Saturday night.

Schools and universities will shut until 9 January, he said.

In Canada also, Omicron cases continue to soar during December.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in Ontario, Canada's most populous province, and could overwhelm intensive care units early next month without prompt intervention, a panel of experts said on Thursday.

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