The genome sequencing results of the person who tested positive for Covid-19 on return from the United States of America including samples of those collected as a result of contact-tracing, have returned negative for Omicron.
Informing this to Nagaland Post, state nodal officer for Bio-Safety Level 3 laboratories, Dr. Tina Khamo said that 41 samples including the sample of the US returnee were sent for genome sequencing. All of them tested negative for the omicron variant.
The person, who had returned from the US, had initially tested negative on arrival. However, on the eighth day, the person tested positive for Covid in Dimapur and was asymptomatic. The patient was kept under quarantine as per the protocols, the health department had said.
Earlier, principal director Health & Family Welfare Dr. Neikhrielie Khimiao had assured that the department was prepared to face any emergency situation as necessary measures had been put in place like manpower, testing kits, oxygen units, etc.
With the impending omicron variant, he said necessary information, advisories and orders have been issued to all District Task Forces (DTFs) and authorities concerned to be on alert, particularly border districts like Dimapur, Kohima, Wokha, Mon and Mokokchung.
Dr Tina Khamo had also informed earlier that the department had sent a proposal to the government to set up a genome sequencing facility at BSL-3 laboratory in Kohima so that test reports could be made available early.
It may be noted that the Centre on Thursday urged 19 states including Nagaland to ramp up Covid testing “in a big way” to identify cases promptly and restrict its spread in view of the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant.