Maharashtra records two new cases of Omicron; India tally rises to 40

One case is from Latur and the other from Pune

Maharashtra on Monday reported two new patients infected with the new Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the state health department said.

With these two cases —one from Latur and the other from Pune — the tally of patients infected with the newly discovered variant of the coronavirus rose in the state to 20 and in India to 40.

The other states to have reported the new variant are Rajasthan (9), Karnataka (3), Gujarat (3), Kerala (1) and Andhra Pradesh (1) and Union Territories of Delhi (2) and Chandigarh (1). 

In the wake of the first confirmed case of Omicron variant in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said Covid-19 clusters should be identified and genetic sequencing tests increased there.

The CM said all the 36 persons who had come in close contact with the Omicron confirmed patient from Ernakulam were in isolation.