Delhi prepared for Omicron, home isolation will be focus: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, Dec 20: Delhi government is ready to tackle the Omicron variant of COVID, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, advising people not to panic.

Though the variant was said to spread faster than the previous ones, its symptoms were mild, said Kejriwal, adding all covid cases in the national capital would be sent for genome sequencing.

"For the last few days Covid cases are increasing in the city. Yesterday (Sunday), it was over 100. We don't know what type of Covid cases are these, normal or the omicron variant. So to ascertain this we have now decided to send the samples of all positive cases for genome sequencing," Kejriwal said at a press conference.

"No need to panic in view of Omicron threat, we have adequate arrangements at hospitals if there is any spread of new Covid variant," Kejriwal said.

"We will strengthen home isolation system as most new Covid cases will not require hospitalisation," he added.

He also appealed to the central government to allow booster dose for health workers and other citizens to fight new Covid variants like omicron.

Meanwhile, six more cases of Omicron variant of Covid have been detected in Delhi, taking the total number of people testing positive for the latest variant of the coronavirus here to 28.

Out of these 28 patients, 12 have been discharged. Most of the patients admitted are asymptomatic.

Kejriwal appealed to public not to let their guard down and start wearing masks to arrest the spread of the virus.