Karnataka anaesthetist with Omicron tests positive again

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru doctor, one of the two earliest cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 to be detected in the country, has tested positive for the virus again, while the other, a South African national who flew out of here without informing the authorities, has been booked by the police.

The South African, of Gujarati origin, who was quarantined here, later flew to Dubai.

Also Read: Doctors conference under scanner after anaesthetist who attended meet tests positive for Omicron

"It is true that the doctor who was infected with Omicron variant has once again tested positive for covid-19," a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike official told PTI.

Requesting anonymity, the official added that the doctor is under isolation, but was asymptomatic.

The doctor had tested positive on November 22, and he was confirmed to be diagnosed with the omicron variant after genome sequencing. His RT-PCR test was last conducted on November 29 and when he was subjected to the test again as per health ministry guidelines, he remained positive, reports The Indian Express.

The Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the first two cases of omicron variant, reported from Karnataka. A 46-year-old anaesthetist based in Bengaluru and a 66-year-old man who travelled from South Africa were those who contracted the variant, with both exhibiting mild symptoms.

The team had also reported about an international doctor's conference held at a star hotel in Bengaluru between November 19 and November 21, that was attended by the Karnataka doctor on November 20.

The doctor had complained of fever and body ache and got tested a day after he attended the event. As per Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike information, the doctor's sample was sent for genome sequencing by chance as the CT value in his Covid test was 13, which is an indication of a heavy viral load.

Meanwhile, police have registered a case against the South African national for flying without informing the authorities in violation of the quarantine norms, reports the PTI.

The management and staff of a five-star hotel here have also been booked for allowing the infected person to leave without informing the health officials.

They have been booked under various sections of the IPC and the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act, 2020, police sources said.

Also Read: Karnataka anaesthetist, South African traveller India's first 2 Omicron cases