Omicron: Karnataka govt orders probe into test reports of SA national that allowed him to leave India

A day after two cases of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus was detected in the state the Karnataka government on Friday ordered a probe into test reports of the 66yearold South African national that allowed him to leave the countryMeanwhile amid some reports that at least 10 South African travellers have gone untraceable after reaching Bengaluru the government directed officials to look into it trace them immediately and get them testedThe probe into the 66yearolds test came after questions were raised on how he managed to get a negative report within three days after testing positive for COVID on arrival and also about him reportedly attending some official meeting and leaving the country even as his genomic sequencing reports were awaitedThe person 66yearold had isolated at a hotel and he has gone from there outside the country First his Covid test report came positive and then retest came negative Whether there was any mishandling whether the lab tests were accurate or was there any wrong doing the police commissioner has been directed to investigate this Revenue Minister R Ashoka saidSpeaking to reporters after a highlevel meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai he said the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner has been directed to file a case at the citys High Ground Police Station in this regardAlso read Omicron patient escapes with ve Covid19 report in Bengaluru State tracing 10 more missing SA nationalsTwo reports one positive and one negative is doubtful So the lab must be investigated So we have asked the police commissioner to investigate immediately in coordination with the health department he addedOfficials on Thursday said that the South African national had come to Bengaluru on November 20 and his samples were collected at the airport and subsequently he tested positive His samples were then sent for genome sequencing the reports of which came on Thursday confirming he was infected by OmicronFurther noting that the person was isolated in a hotel and subsequently underwent a test separately selfinvestigation at another laboratory private lab on Nov 23 during which his reports came out negative they had said he then left for Dubai on November 27 and all his 24 primary contacts and 240 secondary contacts had tested negativeResponding to a question on reports that 10 South African travellers have gone untraceable Ashoka said It has come out in the media that ten people are untraceable Officials have been directed to look into it trace them by tonight and get them testedStating that he has no official information about it Health Minister K Sudhakar said that in case they have not been traced the police are efficient enough to find them as in the past But my appeal is that no one should switch off their mobiles and go untraceable It is not the right way They should behave responsiblyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever