COVID-19: China reports first case of Omicron amid outbreak of new Delta strain
Beijing, Dec 13: China has reported its first case of Omicron variant of COVID-19 amid a spike in coronavirus infections stated to be that of new Delta strain "sub-lineage AY.4", prompting authorities to bar millions of people in the eastern province from travelling.
The first case of Omicron variant of coronavirus was reported in Tianjin city in north China, state-run CGTN-TV reported on Monday.
A person who came from overseas was tested positive for the new variant, the report said.
Details on the person's nationality or travel history were not immediately disclosed.
Officials said the individual is an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient and its respiratory specimen has shown existence of the Omicron variant on December 9 after tests.
The person was under closed-loop management since entry to Tianjin and is now being treated in isolation in hospital, the report said.
Meanwhile, China is experiencing a major outbreak of the Delta strain sub-lineage AY.4 in Zhejiang province where 138 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and one asymptomatic carrier were reported between December 5 and 12, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
Of the 138 cases, 44 were reported in Ningbo, 77 in Shaoxing and 17 in the provincial capital of Hangzhou.
The whole-genome sequencing and analysis found that the cases in the three cities were caused by the Delta strain sub-lineage AY.4, which is stated to be more transmissible and carries a higher viral load than the original novel coronavirus, the report said, quoting an official of the Zhejiang provincial centre for disease control and prevention.
Local authorities have imposed restrictions on public gatherings and travelling out of the province to prevent the virus from spreading further, it said. The province has a population of 64.6 million.
The Chinese mainland recorded 101 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with 80 linked to local transmissions and 21 from overseas, according to National Health Commission (NHC) data released on Monday.
A total of 17 new asymptomatic cases were also recorded and 444 asymptomatic patients remain under medical observation.
NHC on Monday reported 80 new Covid cases, including 74 in Zhejiang, five in Inner Mongolia and one in Shaanxi provinces.
The spurt of coronavirus cases came ahead of the February 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, causing anxiety among the officials here.
China, which has effectively curbed international travel, has been reporting sporadic spurt of cases, raising questions of its zero-case policy of coronavirus.
As on Sunday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on mainland China reached 99,780 since the virus broke out in the central city of Wuhan in 2019. The death toll stands at 4,636.
While 1,381 patients, 27 in serious condition, are still under treatment, 93,763 have recovered so far, the NHC said.
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ED raids Kolkata Police deputy commissioner, businessman in PMLA probe
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday conducted raids at the premises of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and a local businessman as part of a money laundering probe against an alleged criminal and his linked syndicate in the poll-bound state, officials said.
Two premises of Biswas, including his residence in Ballygunge area and one location of the businessman named Joy Kamdar, Managing Director of a company named Sun Enterprise, have been raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kamdar has been taken by the officials to the local ED office for questioning. Biswas, chief coordinator and nodal officer of the West Bengal and Kolkata Police welfare committee, was not present at his premises, they said.
The action is linked to a money laundering case against an alleged local criminal named Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu, who is booked in multiple cases on charges of attempted murder and extortion.
The federal probe agency had conducted the first round of searches in this case on April 1.
The ED had then seized cash of Rs 1.47 crore apart from gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh and a country-made revolver from some premises that were searched.
The probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against against Podder for his alleged involvement in rioting, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and Arms Act violations. The accused, including Podder, were engaged in organised criminal syndicate activities in the state of West Bengal and generated funds illegally by way of syndicate operations, the ED said in a statement on April 9.
Podder is also wanted by the police in a case of violence in Kankulia road near Golpark of Kolkata and is currently on the run.
The ED has issued summons to Podder but he has failed to join the investigation so far, according to the agency.
West Bengal will have a two phase poll on April 23 and April 29.
