First Omicron patient in Maharashtra tests covid negative

The first Omicron patient in Maharashtra has tested negative for the virus. He has been discharged from the hospital and advised to remain in home quarantine for 7 days, said an official. 

On December 4, the state's first Omicron patient was confirmed in Thane when a 33-year-old man arrived from Capetown via Dubai and New Delhi to Mumbai, tested positive. He was undergoing treatment at a Covid Centre in Kalyan-Dombivali.

Meanwhile, Centre on Thursday asked the states and Union Territories to maintain adequate buffer stock of the eight critical drugs identified for treatment of new Covid-19 variant Omicron.

It has asked the five-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate-adherence to Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) to maintain as the mainstay of public health response strategy for effective and timely control and management of Covid and its variants.