Omricon scare grips Konaseema

Kakinada: Rumour of Omicron variant in Konaseema is causing panic among people in East Godavari district.

According to Medical and Health department officials, three foreign returnees are tested Covid positive and are kept in quarantine in the district. Recently, the patients returned to Ravulapalem and Ainavilli mandals in the district from Singapore and Bangladesh.

District Collector Chevuri Hari Kiran said that three foreign returnees were tested Covid positive and are kept in quarantine. He said that all their reports have been sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad for further testing and confirmation.

District Medical & Health Officer Dr KVS Gowreswar Rao told 'The Hans India' that a married couple, aged 49 and 41, returned to Gopalapuram in Ravulapalem from Singapore on December 8. Both the wife and husband have tested negative at Chennai international airport earlier.

He said that they tested negative before they started their journey from their places. But, on arrival here they were tested Covid positive. He said that 2,240 persons have arrived in the district from foreign countries recently. Among them three tested positive for Covid. All the three are in quarantine.

He said that many of the foreign going and foreign returning people are dwelling in the Konaseema region and hence there is more likelihood of their being tested positive amid fear of Omicron. Moreover, there are more business people in Konaseema area and their frequent movement from place to place has also been responsible for the spread of Covid. He said that they tested the remaining foreign returnees and found them to be Covid negative.

Even though they showed negative results they have been placed in home quarantine. He said that regarding Omicron all the medical personnel are alert in the district and they are following the test, tracking and treatment procedure to contain the Covid and create awareness among the people to follow the Covid protocol.

Dr Gowreswar Rao said that more than 50 Covid-19 cases are registered regularly in the district. He also cautioned that Covid-19 cases may increase after New Year and Sankranti in view of violation of Covid rules and positive persons mingling with others in crowds.

Adding to the problem, people throng in large numbers to watch rooster fight. He said that as a precautionary measure to contain Covid-19, people should follow the Covid norms.