Contact-tracing revved up as Omicron reaches Sircilla
The Hindu
Gulf returnee diagnosed with new variant; family members test negative
A day after the district reported its first confirmed case of Omicron with a Gulf returnee of Gudem village in Mustabad mandal testing positive for the COVID-19 variant, health authorities have intensified efforts to trace all his contacts and carry out tests on them in adherence with contact-tracing protocols.
The 26-year-old youth arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport from Dubai on December 16 and his samples were collected and sent for genome sequencing the same day, sources said. His test results returned positive for Omicron on Monday and the report was immediately communicated to the district health authorities. He was shifted to the designated State-run health facility in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon.
A medical team conducted rapid antigen tests on his mother, wife and two children on the same day. Their test results returned negative. They were advised home isolation, sources said.
The event will run daily from 10 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., offering a variety of activities. Visitors can enjoy dance and music performances, hands-on art experiences, film screenings, and exhibitions from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. These will feature folk cuisines, leather puppets, philately, textiles, and handicrafts.