One of two men found positive with Omicron variant in Karnataka has “escaped” after getting a Covid negative report from a private lab, said the state government on Friday. The state administration is trying to find 10 more passengers who went missing from the airport.
“By tonight Friday night all 10 people who have reportedly gone missing should be traced and they should be tested. Travelers will not be allowed to leave the airport until their report is out,” said R Ashok, Karanataka Revenue Minister after a high level meeting.
Mr Ashok said, a 66-year-old South African citizen, who was omicron positive has “fled”. All the 57 passengers who travelled around the same will also be re-tested even after they have produced a negative Covid-19 report on their arrival. The 10 people who are missing are beyond reach as they have switched off their phones.
“All will now be tested because one of them tested positive for Omicron even after showing a negative Covid test,” he said.
The man had arrived from South Africa on November 20 and left seven day later for Dubai.
“We’ve lodged a complaint with the police and they will see what went wrong at the Shangri-La hotel, from where the person escaped,” said the minister.
Though the man was fully vaccinated and had tested negative on his arrival. He had checked in the hotel on the day of his arrival but later he had tested positive for Covid-19.
When a government doctor reached to him at the hotel, the man was asymptomatic and he was advised for self-isolation.
But as he was from a country listed in ‘at-risk’, he was tested again and his samples were sent for genome sequencing on November 22, where he was found omicron positive.
Twenty-four people who came in contact with him were tested and found to be negative. The authorities also tested 240 secondary contacts – people who had come in contact with the primary contacts of the patent – and found them to be negative as well.
On November 23, the man took another test at a private lab and the result came back negative.
And on 27 November midnight, he checked out the hotel and went to airport by cab to board a flight to Dubai.
He was already omicron positive when he left for Dubai.
Meanwhile, Karanataka Health Minister Dr. K Sudhakar said that priority is being given trace the passengers from South Africa who went missing without tests from the airport. “In the past, our police department has done a good job of tracking down those who have escaped. And our police demonstrate their efficiency and will track them all. But I urge the passengers to act responsibly and with social concern,” he said.
