Today, December 23, another 33 people have tested positive for the new Omicron variant of coronavirus within a span of 24 hours in Tamil Nadu, taking the total count of Omicron cases in the southern state to 34. The count was reported after collecting genomic sequencing of samples from the COVID-19 positive patients.

“We received confirmation that 33 more people have tested positive for the new Omicron variant,” Ma Subramanian, the state health minister, said while addressing the press today along with the health secretary J Radhakrishnan. The minister further added that of the 33 cases, 26 live in Chennai, four in Madurai, two in Tiruvannamalai, and one in Salem.

The minister assured that all the patients were stable and under isolation. The suspected cases have been under observation for quite some time, and some of them could soon return negative for the virus and may be discharged, he said.

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The first case of Omicron in Tamil Nadu was registered on December 15, after a 47-year-old Nigeria returned passenger tested positive. Until now, 104 people who have arrived in Tamil Nadu from various parts of the world have tested COVID-19 positive. 

Subramanian said that 82 got detected with the ‘S gene drop’ variant of coronavirus. For genomic sequencing analysis, their samples have been sent to the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), Bengaluru.

The state government has requested the Centre to permit the health department for taking COVID-19 tests for international passengers, irrespective of arriving from the country ‘at risk’ or not.

Also Read: COVID19’s Omicron variant infects 70 times faster than the Delta: Study

India has recorded 236 cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus across 16 states and UTs so far. Maharashtra has recorded the maximum 65 cases of the Omicron variant followed by Delhi at 64, Telangana 24, Karnataka 19, Rajasthan 21 and Kerala 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting on the COVID situation in the country at 6.30 pm today.