Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the swab samples of 28 persons, who returned to the state from high-risk countries last month with nine of them already testing Covid-19 positive, have been sent for genome sequencing amid concerns over the new Omicron variant of the virus. “The international travellers who arrived in Mumbai from the high-risk countries have been identified and the swab samples of 28 such persons have been sent for genome sequencing. Out of them, nine persons have already tested Covid-19 positive. However, we are yet to establish whether they are carrying the new Omicron variant,” the minister said. 

With the Maharashtra government amending its air travel rules in view of global concerns over the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation cancelled its previous guidelines issued to the city airport authorities and asked them to follow the revised ones as issued by the state.