Omicron scare continues to haunt Odisha where one more foreign returnee has tested positive for this variant of Covid-19. With this the number of Omicron affected reached nine in the state.

Director of health services Bijay Mohapatra said the genome sequencing of a 31-year-old, who had returned from Dubai to Bhubaneswar on December 16, has shown results. He is a native of Keonjhar district.

The genome sequencing of the man was done by the state’s most reliable laboratory at the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar. The patient has been admitted to a private hospital, said Dr Ajay Kumar Parida, ILS director, adding that contact tracing of those who were exposed to him was on.

The man’s father and mother have tested negative for the infection but their samples will be examined again.

Earlier returnees from Nigeria, Qatar and the UAE had tested positive for the omicron variant.

On December 23, two patients, aged 11 and 15, who recently returned from “non at-risk” country, were also found infected with this variant of the coronavirtus.

Health experts fear that the omicron induced third wave of Covid-19 may reach its peak in the state towards the end of January and the first week of February.

State government has cautioned the people to follow the Covid-19 protocol as omicron has been spreading fast across the country.

In another development, the state government that had announced to reopen the primary schools from January 3 is giving a second thought about whether to open the schools.

Director Medical Education and Training (DMET) Dr R.R. Mohanty on Wednesday said: “The state government is likely to take a call again whether to reopen the schools from January 3 or not. It may reconsider its decision on the issue.”

On Tuesday, minister of school and mass education Samir Ranjan Das had announced that around 27,000 primary schools (Class 1 to Class V) would reopen from January 3.