Omicron is gradually spreading in the community and the new, fast-spreading variant of concern has been found in 54 per cent of the latest samples analysed in the national Capital, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday.
He said stringent curbs have been put in place as part of the Graded Response Action Plan for Covid-19 to check the spread of the infection and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) will decide on implementing more restrictions.
“The latest genome sequencing report showed 54 per cent of the cases are of the Omicron variant. These people include those who do not have any travel history. It means Omicron is now inside Delhi,” Jain said.
“Indeed, the variant is gradually spreading in the community and its proportion will increase in the coming days,” the Minister said when asked if Omicron will be the dominant variant in a possible third wave of the pandemic.
He also said of the 200 coronavirus cases in Delhi hospitals, only 102 belong to the city. Also, 115 are those who were directly taken to hospitals from the airport.
Of the hospitalised Covid patients in Delhi, 115 do not have any symptoms and have been kept in hospitals as a precautionary measure.
None of the hospitalised patients is on oxygen support, Jain said.
The Delhi Health Minister had on Wednesday said many international travellers who tested negative at the airport are found to be Covid positive after a few days. During this period, they are infecting their family members, he said.
According to official figures, of the 8,965 dedicated Covid beds in Delhi, 262 or 2.92 per cent were occupied and 97 per cent were vacant on December 28.