Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], December 21 (ANI): Two people in Dehradun is suspected to be infected with the COVID-19 variant of Omicron after meeting their relative in Delhi who have been tested positive with the Omicron variant of the virus, said R Rajesh Kumar, District Magistrate, Dehradun.

"A COVID-positive couple in Dehradun is Omicron suspected, after returning from meeting their Omicron positive relatives in Delhi with a travel history to Qatar," said Kumar.

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To confirm the presence of the Omicron variant the samples of the suspected patients have been sent for genome sequencing.

"The couple's apartment has been declared a micro-containment zone. Also, samples have been sent for genome sequencing, reports are awaited," he added.

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Meanwhile, India has reported 161 cases of new coronavirus variant Omicron, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.

"As of now, India has 161 Omicron cases...We are monitoring the situation daily with experts," the minister told Rajya Sabha while replying to a debate on the COVID-19 situation. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)