Five cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 were detected in Meghalaya on January 4, media reports said.
Reports said that a person from Assam and four from East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts of Meghalaya tested positive for the Omicron variant of the COVID-19.
Quoting an unnamed health official, The Shillong Times reported that the samples of the individuals were sent for genome sequencing after they were found COVID-19 positive a few days back. “The report of their genome sequencing was received on January 4,” the health official was quoted as saying.
The five Omicron cases include two from Saiden, one each from Langkyrding, Happy Valley and Laitumukhrah.
“All the five patients are asymptomatic and are under home isolation,” health minister James Sangma was quoted as saying by news agency UNI.
Among the infected are four males. “One had come from the United States and the other from New Delhi and Assam, the two others from Ri-Bhoi have no travel history,” the report said.
The official also informed that most of them have already completed 4-8 days of isolation.
Earlier on January 3, the Meghalaya government reimposed strict restrictions on entry to the state even as COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant has seen a rapid increase across the country.
Among other norms, all people entering Meghalaya will now have to get RTPCR negative certificate or get themselves tested irrespective of their vaccination status.
