“He travelled from Cape City to Delhi through Dubai. He examined Covid-19 constructive in Delhi however one way or the other was in a position to board the connecting flight to Mumbai. On arrival in Mumbai, he was discovered to be constructive. He’s asymptomatic and had house quarantined himself. Later, the company quarantined him in an establishment,” mentioned Pratibha Panpatil, Chief Medical Officer of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Company (KDMC).

KDMC well being officers mentioned they’ve alerted the airport authorities and efforts are on to find the person’s co-passengers.

Dr Pradeep Vyas, Further Chief Secretary (Well being) mentioned, “Now we have despatched his samples for genome sequencing to search out out if he’s carrying the Omicron varint.”

In response to the Centre’s November 11 pointers for worldwide passengers, samples for RT-PCR exams are to be submitted on touchdown, after which passengers are allowed to go away the airport. Passengers are to observe house quarantine for seven days, with a compulsory retest on the eight day.

Amid rising worries over the Omicron variant, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) has begun contacting 466 passengers who arrived within the metropolis over the past 15 days from the “international locations of concern”, together with South Africa, and can take swab samples from them for RT-PCR exams. Officers mentioned that 97 of the 466 passengers who arrived in Mumbai are residents of town. The civic physique is individually contacting all passengers for his or her well being updates.

“The passengers who stay in Mumbai don’t have any signs. All are quarantined at house. We’ll run RT-PCR exams on them on Monday,” mentioned BMC Further Commissioner Suresh Kakani.

The Indian Specific has learnt that the state authorities is prone to make seven-day institutional quarantine necessary for passengers flying into town from — or transiting by — international locations of concern. For home passengers, the federal government is prone to convey again the rule on mandatorily carrying a damaging RT-PCR take a look at for coming into the state, sources mentioned.

These measures have been mentioned at a Covid-19 evaluate assembly that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held with Well being Minister Rajesh Tope, senior authorities officers, state Covid process power members, divisional commissioners and district collectors.

“He travelled from Cape City to Delhi by way of Dubai. He examined Covid-19 constructive in Delhi however someway was capable of board the connecting flight to Mumbai. On arrival in Mumbai, he was discovered to be constructive. He’s asymptomatic and had house quarantined himself. Later, the company quarantined him in an establishment,” stated Pratibha Panpatil, Chief Medical Officer of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Company (KDMC).

KDMC well being officers stated they’ve alerted the airport authorities and efforts are on to find the person’s co-passengers.

Dr Pradeep Vyas, Further Chief Secretary (Well being) stated, “We have now despatched his samples for genome sequencing to search out out if he’s carrying the Omicron varint.”

In response to the Centre’s November 11 tips for worldwide passengers, samples for RT-PCR checks are to be submitted on touchdown, after which passengers are allowed to go away the airport. Passengers are to observe house quarantine for seven days, with a compulsory retest on the eight day.

Amid rising worries over the Omicron variant, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) has begun contacting 466 passengers who arrived within the metropolis during the last 15 days from the “nations of concern”, together with South Africa, and can take swab samples from them for RT-PCR checks. Officers stated that 97 of the 466 passengers who arrived in Mumbai are residents of the town. The civic physique is individually contacting all passengers for his or her well being updates.

“The passengers who stay in Mumbai don’t have any signs. All are quarantined at house. We’ll run RT-PCR checks on them on Monday,” stated BMC Further Commissioner Suresh Kakani.

The Indian Categorical has learnt that the state authorities is more likely to make seven-day institutional quarantine obligatory for passengers flying into the town from — or transiting by means of — nations of concern. For home passengers, the federal government is more likely to deliver again the rule on mandatorily carrying a adverse RT-PCR take a look at for getting into the state, sources stated.

These measures had been mentioned at a Covid-19 overview assembly that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held with Well being Minister Rajesh Tope, senior authorities officers, state Covid activity power members, divisional commissioners and district collectors.

Barely a fortnight earlier than worldwide flights had been to renew in India, rising concern over Omicron, the brand new Covid-19 variant, has compelled the federal government to rethink the choice. The Centre has now determined to overview the efficient date of resumption of scheduled business worldwide passenger companies, a Ministry of Dwelling Affairs spokesperson mentioned Sunday.

It was additionally determined to overview the usual working procedures (SOP) on testing and surveillance of incoming passengers, particularly from nations recognized as ‘in danger’ as per evolving international situation, the spokesperson mentioned in a sequence of tweets.

Resolution on efficient date of resumption of scheduled business worldwide passengers service, to be reviewed, as per evolving international situation.

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Dwelling Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) November 28, 2021

The choices had been taken at an pressing assembly chaired by Union Dwelling Secretary Ajay Bhalla and attended by varied stakeholders. This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level overview assembly on Omicron which the World Well being Organisation has recognized as a variant of concern.

In the meantime, amid the specter of Omicron variant, the Ministry of Well being and Household Welfare has revised the prevailing guidelines tips for worldwide arrivals. Upon arrival, passengers from nations below the class ‘in danger’ might be ship to 7 days obligatory residence quarantine after RT-PCR take a look at on the level of arrival. In case of travellers from different nations, they are going to be allowed to go away the airport and requested to self-monitor their well being for 14 days’ publish arrival. 5 per cent of the full flight passengers will endure post-arrival testing at random on the airport on arrival. The price of testing of such travellers might be borne by Ministry of Civil Aviation. The brand new tips might be efficient from December 1.

The assembly was attended by varied specialists, Dr. V Okay Paul, Member (Well being), NITI Aayog, Dr. Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to Prime Minister and senior officers from Well being, Civil Aviation and different Ministries, the spokesperson mentioned.

“General international state of affairs in wake of Omicron virus was comprehensively reviewed. Varied preventive measures in place and to be additional strengthened had been mentioned,” the house ministry spokesperson mentioned.

The assembly additionally determined to additional strengthen and intensify genomic surveillance for variants.

In response to the spokesperson, the assembly additional determined to sensitise Airport Well being Officers (APHOs) and Port Well being Officers (PHOs) for strict supervision of testing protocol at airports and ports.

A better watch on the rising pandemic state of affairs inside the nation might be maintained, the spokesperson mentioned.

After a 21-month ban, the federal government had on November 26 introduced the resumption of scheduled worldwide business flights from December 15.

The brand new, probably extra contagious B.1.1.529 variant was first reported from South Africa on November 24 and has additionally been recognized in different nations, together with UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Botswana, Israel, Australia and Hong Kong.

By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday, November 27, 2021, imposed an entire journey ban on six African nations and Hong Kong within the wake of the invention of the brand new COVID-19 Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa.

The Nationwide Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in a press release stated consequent to the emergence of Omicron COVID variant in South Africa and its unfold to adjoining areas, “an entire ban has been imposed on direct/oblique inbound journey” from South Africa, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Botswana “with quick impact”.

NCOC is the principal physique governing the insurance policies and implementation of Pakistan’s COVID-19 effort.

Nevertheless, Pakistani passengers travelling from these nations “on excessive emergency” will solely be allowed after acquiring exemptions, the NCOC stated.

The passengers must observe well being/testing protocols, together with vaccination certificates, adverse PCR report (most 72 hours previous) earlier than boarding and RAT (fast antigen take a look at) on arrival at airport.

In case of a adverse take a look at outcome, travellers must house quarantine themselves for 3 days and bear one other fast antigen take a look at performed by the civil administration on the third day.

These with optimistic outcomes must quarantine for 10 days and bear a polymerase chain response take a look at on the tenth day, the assertion stated.

However to “facilitate stranded Pakistanis, journey from these nations until December 5 can be allowed with out exemption(s), although the above-mentioned well being and testing protocols will stay relevant”, it stated.

The NCOC additionally directed the Aviation Division, airport administration, and the Airport Safety Pressure to plot a mechanism for screening passengers travelling from the seven nations through oblique flights and share its particulars with all related departments by November 29.

In the meantime, Pakistan reported 411 new coronavirus circumstances within the final 24 hours, taking the whole nationwide variety of confirmed infections to 1,283,886, whereas seven individuals died in a single day, pushing the loss of life toll to twenty-eight,704, the well being ministry stated.

The nation has reported lower than one per cent positivity charge over the last two weeks, it stated.

The brand new probably extra contagious B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to the World Well being Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, and has additionally been recognized in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, Israel and the UK.

It was on Friday designated as a “Variant of Concern” by the WHO, which named it “Omicron”.

A “variant of concern” is the WHO’s high class of worrying COVID-19 variants.

International locations around the globe are at the moment racing to introduce journey bans and restrictions on southern African nations in an effort to comprise Omicron’s unfold.

European nations together with the UK have banned journey to and from South Africa and neighbouring nations of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, in addition to Lesotho and Eswatini (previously Swaziland), each of that are landlocked inside South Africa.

Different nations embody Bangladesh, Mauritius, Israel, Sri Lanka, the US and the Netherlands.

Many different nations adopted swimsuit, most of them indicating that solely their very own residents could be allowed again, topic to a quarantine interval.

In New Delhi, the Indian authorities requested all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all worldwide travellers coming from or transiting by South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, the place a brand new variant has been detected.
 

The event, nonetheless, prompted Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to name a high-level assembly on Saturday. Bommai mentioned authorities would intensify screening of worldwide passengers on the airports and make the RT-PCR check report obligatory for these arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra.

Ok Srinivas, the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Rural district below which Kempegowda Worldwide Airport falls, instructed The Indian Categorical: “Two South African nationals who arrived to Bengaluru on 11 and 20 November respectively had been examined optimistic for Covid-19 and had been traced residing in Bengaluru. They’ve been remoted and are below remedy. We’ve discovered them to have the delta variant.”

A complete of 584 folks arrived on the Bengaluru airport in November from 10 high-risk nations and 94 of them have returned from South Africa.

Three groups deputed around the clock at KIA are monitoring travellers earlier than they arrive out of the airport. All worldwide vacationers are being examined, mentioned Srinivas.

The worldwide arrivals from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong must bear a compulsory RT-PCR check. The worldwide vacationers who’ve arrived in Bengaluru between 12-27 November can be tracked and examined by means of RT-PCR. These testing optimistic can be positioned below institutional isolation in hospital for 10 days. Genome sequencing can be fast-tracked, officers mentioned.

The federal government issued a round stating that the every day Covid19 testing targets could be elevated from 60,000 to 80,000 per day. Together with influenza-like sickness (ILI) and extreme acute respiratory infections (SARI), the groups have been requested to conduct checks on chosen teams of scholars, lecturers, employees of lodges, store keepers of malls and markets, catering employees, manufacturing unit personnel, workplace goers, employees in pubs and bars. The checks in Bengaluru metropolis have been elevated by 5,000.

In Saturday’s assembly, it was determined to impose a brief ban on cultural programmes in faculties and schools, make second doses of vaccination obligatory for these working in authorities workplaces, malls, lodges, cinema halls, zoos, swimming swimming pools and libraries, Income minister R Ashok mentioned.

The state authorities has additionally determined to make an RT-PCR report obligatory for these coming into the state from Kerala and Maharashtra. College students from Kerala who arrived within the final 16 days must do a obligatory RT-PCR check for a second time. College students in hostels who have gotten a unfavorable RT-PCR report must get the check carried out once more on the seventh day after the primary report, he added.

Ashok mentioned those that check optimistic can be instantly taken to a hospital for remedy.

As a part of combating a possible third wave, the Karnataka authorities has urged the Union authorities to manage booster doses. Ashok mentioned:  “We’ve urged the union authorities to permit the state to manage the booster dose, particularly for the entrance line staff. We might get the go forward from the centre in every week.”

The vaccination marketing campaign has coated a big section of the inhabitants. Nevertheless the necessity for the booster dose is being felt, particularly for the entrance line staff who obtained vaccinated on the very starting of the vaccination marketing campaign.

Centre has been requested to allow the state to manage the Booster dose for entrance line staff. The Centre is prone to reply positively to the state’s request, Ashok mentioned.

By AFP

BERLIN: Germany on Saturday, November 27, 2021, recognized the nation’s first suspected case of the brand new Covid-19 variant, in an individual who returned from South Africa.

“The Omicron variant has with sturdy chance already arrived in Germany,” Kai Klose, social affairs minister within the western state of Hesse, tweeted, referring to the pressure first detected in southern Africa.

Klose mentioned that exams late Friday on the traveller revealed “a number of mutations typical of Omicron”.

“As there may be this sturdy suspicion, the individual has been remoted at dwelling. The total sequencing remains to be to be accomplished.” 

His ministry later mentioned outcomes had been anticipated “within the coming days”. 

The individual had arrived in Germany on November 21 at Frankfurt worldwide airport, the nation’s busiest, the ministry mentioned in a press release.

The individual, who was absolutely vaccinated towards coronavirus, developed signs “in the middle of the week” and was then examined. 

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who is anticipated to be sworn in as successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel early subsequent month, burdened Saturday that his coalition would do “every thing essential” to battle “corona and Omicron”.

“There’s nothing which may’t be thought-about,” he tweeted, as calls develop louder for necessary coronavirus vaccinations.

The suspect case in Germany follows Belgium saying on Friday it had detected the primary introduced case in Europe of the brand new Covid-19 variant, in an unvaccinated individual coming back from overseas.

In the meantime Britain on Saturday confirmed its first two instances of the brand new Omicron pressure, which the World Well being Group has declared to be a variant of concern.

EU officers agreed on Friday to induce all 27 nations within the bloc to limit journey from a number of southern African nations, a coverage Germany has already introduced.

By PTI

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Saturday, November 27, 2021, suspended journey from South Africa instantly, becoming a member of a rising listing of nations banning journey to the nation amid fears of the unfold of the brand new COVID-19 Omicron variant, first detected there.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Well being and Household Welfare Zahid Maleque stated that they’re conscious of the emergence of the brand new variant and have determined to droop journey from South Africa, bdnews24.com reported.

“This new variant is extraordinarily aggressive and so we’re suspending journey from South Africa instantly,” he stated.

“We’re additionally strengthening screening procedures in any respect airports and land ports,” he was quoted as saying within the report.

The minister stated that they’ve additionally despatched out directions on the district degree to step up enforcement of well being rules, together with the carrying of masks.

“We should even be cautious about residents travelling from different international locations. We are going to examine if they’ve obtained the vaccine and the RT-PCR check,” he stated.

The brand new probably extra contagious B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to the World Well being Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, and has additionally been recognized in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, Israel and the UK.

It was on Friday designated as a “Variant of Concern” by the WHO, which named it “Omicron”.

A “variant of concern” is the WHO’s high class of worrying COVID-19 variants.

International locations around the globe are presently racing to introduce journey bans and restrictions on southern African international locations in an effort to comprise Omicron’s unfold.

European international locations together with the UK have banned journey to and from South Africa and neighbouring international locations of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, in addition to Lesotho and Eswatini (previously Swaziland), each of that are landlocked inside South Africa.

Different international locations embody Mauritius, Israel, Sri Lanka, the US and the Netherlands.

Many different international locations adopted swimsuit, most of them indicating that solely their very own residents can be allowed again, topic to a quarantine interval.

In New Delhi, the Indian authorities requested all states and union territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all worldwide travellers coming from or transiting by South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, the place a brand new variant has been detected.

By PTI

JOHANNESBURG: The journey bans imposed on South Africa by a rising variety of nations as a result of new doubtlessly highly-transmissible variant of COVID-19 is “draconian” and “misdirected”, Well being Minister Joe Phaahla has stated.

The brand new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, first detected in South Africa this week, was on Friday, November 26, 2021, designated as a “Variant of Concern” by the World Well being Organisation (WHO), which named it “Omicron”.

“We really feel that it is a fallacious strategy. It’s misdirected and it goes in opposition to the norms as suggested by the WHO. We simply really feel that among the leaderships of (these) nations are discovering scapegoats to cope with what’s a worldwide drawback,” Phaahla stated at a information briefing late Friday night.

A “variant of concern” is the WHO’s high class of worrying COVID-19 variants.

It was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24, and has additionally been recognized in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

“It’s ironic that we’re at the moment speaking a few scenario in South Africa as we speak about small samples, (though) we’re involved about rising numbers from the low ranges of about 300 per day simply over 14 days in the past; to the place we are actually approaching 3,000 (circumstances),” Phaahla stated.

“It’s a vital rise, however compared to among the nations which are actually reacting on this very draconian method, we’re speaking about nations which have an an infection charge of upwards of 40,000 new infections per day,” he stated contrasting the COVID-19 scenario in Europe and his nation.

“We do not need to apportion blame, however simply when it comes to the best way the virus strikes as individuals transfer, it isn’t inconceivable that it is perhaps attainable that this may occasionally have even arisen in these nations which have been much more liberal when it comes to crowds with no masks at stadiums and so forth,” the minister stated.

Many elements of Europe and the US have opened up stadiums for crowds at sports activities matches and concert events.

Phaahla stated he was conscious that the announcement on Thursday by South African scientists in regards to the discovery of the brand new variant had triggered some consternation and uncertainty.

“That is anticipated in a scenario of this nature, the place we’re coping with a shifting goal, however we need to guarantee South Africans and folks elsewhere on the earth that we imagine that among the motion has really been unjustified,” Phahhla stated.

“I am referring right here particularly to the nations in Europe. All that we did along with our scientists who made the invention of this variant was mainly to be in keeping with the norms and requirements as prescribed by the WHO – that as a world neighborhood as we cope with this pandemic and every other matter which challenges the world well being as an entire, moderately than simply particular person nations we should always act with transparency,” he stated.

The UK introduced on Thursday that every one flights to and from South Africa and 5 neighbouring nations can be banned from Friday following an announcement that the brand new Omicron variant of COVID-19 had been detected in South Africa.

Many different European nations adopted go well with, most of them indicating that solely their very own residents can be allowed again, topic to a quarantine interval.

Phaahla stated the scientists who’re continuously monitoring the mutation of the virus knowledgeable the authorities in order that the WHO and the well being sector all around the world may additionally keep knowledgeable.

“At no stage did (our scientists) say that they’ve proof that this virus is extra transmissible. They merely stated that as has been the case with different mutations, a few of them have had the impact of being extra transmissible with out additionally essentially that means that when it comes to its seriousness (it could have) extra influence on the severity of sickness,” he stated.

The scientists did emphasise that these are very early phases when it comes to the specifics of how this new variant goes to unfold, the minister stated.

Phaahla reiterated that there was no proof that the present vaccines can be ineffective in opposition to the brand new mutation.

“We need to dispel any notion, as has been bandied about by numerous commentators. At no stage did the scientists who found this variant say that (it) can be immune to the vaccines that are being utilised,” he emphasised.

Earlier, South African Medical Analysis Council CEO Professor Glenda Grey got here out in defence of the scientists who had flagged the brand new variant.

Grey stated releasing such data may help in altering behaviour and end in decreasing the unfold of the virus.

In the meantime, a high UK scientist, formally advising the federal government on COVID-19, on Saturday stated vaccines being administered are prone to shield in opposition to the Omicron variant.

“This isn’t a catastrophe, and the headlines from a few of my colleagues saying ‘that is horrendous’ I believe are vastly overstating the scenario,” Professor Calum Semple instructed the BBC.

The alarm over the Omicron variant has jeopardised the journey plans of 1000’s of foreigners in South Africa, particularly at a time when Christmas and New 12 months are across the nook.

To date the coronavirus has claimed 89,771 lives in South Africa, together with 2,952,500 confirmed infections, based on Johns Hopkins College.

The South African authorities’s intensive efforts to extend vaccinations, together with organising websites at non secular establishments and making services accessible at weekends, have been thwarted by in depth anti-vaccination campaigns.

By Businesses

LONDON: Britain on Saturday, November 27, 2021, confirmed its first two circumstances of the brand new Omicron pressure of Covid-19, each linked to journey from southern Africa.

“We’ve moved quickly and the people are self-isolating whereas contact tracing is ongoing,” Well being Secretary Sajid Javid mentioned in an announcement.

Dutch authorities are additionally checking for the brand new variant after 61 passengers on two flights from South Africa examined constructive for COVID-19.

With every passing hour, new restrictions had been being slapped on journey from international locations in southern Africa because the world scurried Saturday to comprise the brand new omicron variant of the coronavirus that has the potential to be extra proof against the safety provided by vaccines.

A number of nations, together with Australia, Brazil, Canada Iran, Japan, Thailand and america, joined others, together with the European Union and the U.Okay. in impose restrictions on southern African international locations in response to warnings over the transmissability of the brand new variant — towards the recommendation of the World Well being Group. Pharmaceutical corporations expressed optimism that they might finesse their vaccines to cope with the brand new variant although that may clearly take a while.

Regardless of the banning of flights, there are mounting issues that the variant has already been broadly seeded all over the world. Circumstances have been reported in vacationers in Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed concern over the brand new coronavirus variant and requested the federal government to offer vaccine safety to the individuals of the nation.

His remarks come amid rising international issues over the brand new pressure of the lethal virus that the World Well being Group has named ‘Omicron’ and categorized as a variant of concern. “New variant is a critical risk. Excessive time GOI (authorities of India) will get critical about offering vaccine safety to our countrymen,” Gandhi tweeted utilizing the hashtag #Omicron.

New variant is a critical risk.

Excessive time GOI will get critical about offering vaccine safety to our countrymen.

Dangerous vaccination figures can’t be hidden for lengthy behind one man’s photograph. #Omicron pic.twitter.com/3J7E8TEwXT

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 27, 2021

He additionally questioned the federal government’s vaccination protection numbers saying, “Dangerous vaccination figures can’t be hidden for lengthy behind one man’s photograph.” The nation’s Covid vaccination certificates comprise a photograph of the prime minister.

Throughout the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed in regards to the new variant of the coronavirus together with its traits and the influence seen in numerous international locations, the PMO stated.

The PM requested officers to evaluation the plans to ease worldwide journey restrictions in gentle of the “rising new proof”.