New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS): The national capital on Sunday reported the first case of new Covid variant Omicron. The patient had travelled from Tanzania and was admitted to the Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital. The patient has been found positive for the Omicron variant in a preliminary report.

With the first case in Delhi, the total cases of Omicron variant has climbed to five in India.

The first two cases of Omicron variant were reported from Karnataka. The third and the fourth cases were found in Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively on Saturday.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said on Sunday that the results of 12 samples, which were sent for genome sequencing, have come out. Out of the total 12, only one has been confirmed for the Omicron variant. The other 11 have tested positive for normal Covid. He said that all passengers landing at the airport are being tested and so far 17 positive have been found. He added that a total of 17 positive for Covid and their secondary contacts of six persons have been admitted in the isolation wards of the LNJP hospital. He said that the one, who has been found positive for Omicron variant, has been admitted separately in the isolation ward.

The response measures for all variants of concern, including Omicron is the same as that for SARs CoV2, as per the health ministry. The ministry has said that the precautions and steps to be taken remain the same as before. "It is essential to mask yourself properly, take both doses of vaccines (if not yet vaccinated), maintain social distancing and maintain good ventilation to the maximum possible", said the ministry in a statement on Friday.