Two South African nationals test Covid positive in Bengaluru

Two South African nationals have tested Covid-19 positive at the Kempegowda International Airport here, creating panic among the health authorities over the new Omicron variant of the lethal virus.

Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner K. Srinivas on Saturday said further test reports would ascertain whether the South African nationals are infected with the Omicron variant.

The test results will take another 48 hours to arrive, the Health Department said.

Both have been sent to quarantine centres, and they will stay there till their test results confirm about the new variant.

Srinivas said that as many as 584 people, so far, have arrived here from 10 "high-risk" nations, and as many as 94 individuals have come from South Africa alone so far.

He also visited the Bengaluru airport to inspect the security and precautionary measures being undertaken by the authorities regarding examining the international passengers who arrive from high risk countries where the Omicron variant has been detected.