Nigeria returnee, family test positive for coronavirus in Assam

A 57-year-old returnee from Nigeria, four other members of his family and their domestic help have tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam, an official said on Sunday.

Their samples have been sent for whole-genome sequencing to find out whether they have been infected by the Omicron strain, Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner Narsing Pawar Sambhaji said.

The man had returned from Nigeria's Lagos more than a week ago, he said.

"The six people also tested positive for the Omicron variant in a kit developed by the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) in Dibrugarh. However, their samples have been sent to the North East Institute of Science and Technology in Jorhat for whole-genome sequencing and further corroboration," Sambhaji said.

"Their exact status will be known after we receive the whole-genome sequencing report in 2-3 days," the official added.