After Rajasthan, India reports second Omicron-related death from Odisha’s Balangir

India reported its second death from the new Omicron variant on Thursday from Odisha’s Balangir district, the first being a 74-year-old man from Rajasthan’s Udaipur, Health Ministry confirmed. This is the first Omicron death reported from Odisha. The deceased is a 55-year-old woman.

The woman died at the Veer Surendra Sai Institute Of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR) in Burla in Sambalpur district on December 27. The woman, a resident of Agalpur village, had no prior travel history to a foreign country.

Genome sequencing of her samples proved she was infected with the Omicron variant, the Balangir district administration confirmed in a statement on Thursday. The woman had suffered a stroke and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Later she was referred to VIMSAR in Burla for advanced treatment as her health deteriorated.

The woman’s body has been handed over to her family members. However, the state’s first Omicron-related death has put Sambalpur district health officials in a tough situation of tracing all those who could have come in contact with the deceased.

Health teams have been rushed to the woman’s village for contact tracing. Swab samples of her family members have also been collected and sent for testing, officials stated.