Back from South Africa, Chandigarh man tests +ve for Covid-19

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

A 39-year-old man from Sector 36, who returned from South Africa recently, tested positive for Covid today.

His wife and domestic help have also tested positive, while two other family members are reported to be negative. The report of one family member is still awaited.

He had returned from South Africa on November 21 and was quarantined at home on his arrival in Chandigarh. He was RT-PCR negative on arrival. However, he was again tested for Covid today as per the protocol.

UT Health Secretary Yashpal Garg said the patient and his family had been shifted to the Covid isolation ward at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32.

The Health Department said as per the protocol, the positive cases were being shifted to an institutional quarantine facility. The samples of the positive cases would be sent for whole genome sequencing to the NCDC, New Delhi, to ascertain the variant/variant of concern (VoC), if any.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Omicron variant B.1.1.529 has a large number of mutations, some of which are of concern. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other VoCs. The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.

Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (i.e. people who have previously had Covid could become reinfected more easily with Omicron) as compared to other variants of concern, but information is limited.

How to keep safe

The WHO advises that the most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of Covid is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others, wear a mask, open windows to improve ventilation, avoid poorly ventilated spaces, keep hands clean and get vaccinated.