Bells of Omicron ring in Lahore as first case confirmed

Punjab Health Department spokesperson says 23-year-old with no travel history has been confirmed to be positive with variant

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Omicron, the new lethal variant of COVID-19, has hit Lahore as one patient was confirmed by the health authorities to be positive with the variant on Monday.

The 23-year-old patient, who is a resident of Bahar Colony in Lahore, tested positive for Omicron and was immediately shifted to an isolation ward.

The case rang alarm bells for the residents of Lahore and other cities of Punjab.

“We took samples of dozens of people and one case has been diagnosed with Omicron,” said a senior official of Punjab Health department.

“The young man who has been diagnosed with the new variant doesn’t have any travel history,” he added.

He confirmed that there were other suspected patients of Omicron, and their samples were taken on December 23 and would soon be shared.

“The results of the suspected patients are due but one case of Omicron is sure,” said the officer.

The sources said that there were 12 suspected cases of Omicron in the city, pointing out that seven were reported from Johar Town area, one from DHA and four were from Model Town area.

Surprisingly, women were the major victims of Omicron as compared to the men, but the names of the patients have been kept secret due to privacy concerns.

As many as 15 million people have so far been vaccinated against Coronavirus, with Punjab at the top with 68 percent of the eligible population having received at least one dose, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 57 percent, Sindh 51 percent and Balochistan 38 percent.

Talking to the Minute Mirror, Punjab Health Department Spokesperson Syed Hammad Raza also confirmed that one patient was diagnosed with Omicron in Lahore and the results of the rest of the suspected patients, whose samples were taken, would be shared later.

“One case is confirmed now. A young man from Bahar Colony,” said Raza, adding that they were making efforts to speed up their vaccination campaign. He stated that Punjab was leading in the vaccination campaign.

“We have met 48 percent of the total target of vaccination so far,” said the spokesperson, adding that they were running a campaign, ‘reach every door’, till December 31 to vaccinate the people.

He further said that Omicron was a new variant of Coronavirus and they had already established separate wards for the virus patients.

Taking notice of the Omicron case, Health Secretary Imran Sikandar vowed to speed up their vaccination campaign, and asked the media and other stakeholders to play their due role in spreading awareness among the public.

He also urged the religious scholars and prayer leaders at the mosques to sensitize the people about vaccination.