Nine people from 'at risk' countries tested positive for the COVID-19 Delta variant in Goa, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday.
"Samples of 28 people including those from 'at risk' countries were sent for genome sequencing. Nine of the samples have returned negative for Omicron but positive for the Delta variant of coronavirus. Results of 19 samples are awaited," Sawant told ANI.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant today ruled out the imposing of night curfew in the state from Monday in the wake of rising covid cases and omicron scare.
On being asked if the Goa government is going to impose a night curfew, Sawant said, "No such decision has been taken. I appeal to people to follow COVID protocols so that we are not forced to impose the night curfew".
Expressing concern that the COVID positivity rate has increased from 1.8 per cent to 3.5 per cent, the chief minister appealed to citizens of the state to be on guards and duly follow all COVID protocols.
Several cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been detected in the country with Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Delhi reporting new cases.
A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.
On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'.
India has added several countries to the list from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in the country, including post-arrival testing for infection.
( With inputs from ANI )
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