Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Friday, January 7, said that a genome sequencing device to detect the Omicron variant in COVID-19 samples will be installed in Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim on January 15.
He said this new device will help save time as samples now have to be sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune in neighbouring Maharashtra.
"Goa ranks first in COVID-19 vaccination, with only 5 per cent of the population left to take the second dose. Vaccination of students (in the 15-18 age group) is also in full swing," he said, adding that although the number of cases was rising the state government was fully prepared to tackle the situation.
The first case of Omicron was detected in Goa on December 28. Goa has reported, so far, 19 cases of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus.
On Friday, Goa reported the biggest single-day rise of 1,432 new Covid-19 cases, witnessing its highest single-day spike since May.
