New covid variant: Omicron cases only travel-related, no domestic transmission reported so far, says expert

New covid-19 variant: Omicron variant cases detected across the country so far have been travel-related and so far there is no evidence to suggest it has been transmitted domestically yet, Dr Shashak Joshi, expert member of the Maharashtra Covid-19 task force, was quoted as saying in the Indianexpress.com

As per the latest reports, Maharashtra has so far reported 10 new omicron cases, seven from Pune, three from Mumbai. The country has so far recorded 21 omicron cases–Rajasthan (9), Maharashtra (8), Karnataka (2), Delhi (1), Gujarat (1).

Dr Joshi stated that it will take at least three to six months in order to substantiate the findings submitted by African doctors for mild symptom cases. To this, Dr Pradeep Awate, State surveillance officer, also said that the sample size given was too small to draw any conclusion. Joshi further said that we will have to wait for a couple of weeks to understand the virus’s nature, transmission, severity of symptoms among other relevant details.

No need to panic: Experts

Dr Joshi informed that there has been difference in the clinical symptoms of the Omicron strain as compared to the Delta variant. In the case of Omicron, patients have not reported lack of taste or smell like in the case of covid and delta variants. However, the extent of disease is yet not clear and we will need to wait for at least three months to figure out the intensity of the virus before drawing any conclusion, Dr Joshi added as reported in the Indianexpress.com. Experts have urged people to not panic and not fall for “wild speculations” until the correct evidence comes out.

“These are travel-related, sporadic cases and import-related contacts.People need to understand there’s nothing to panic”, Dr Joshi said. So far, all we know is that the new covid variant is mild and is not a major cause of concern, at least for now.