# It’s here: Omicron variant of Covid-19 were reported from India’s shores on Thursday with two confirmed cases. Five contacts of one of the cases also tested positive. India is the 30th country to report the new strain. Both cases, men with no symptoms, were reported from Karnataka.
# Test prices: The Delhi Government meanwhile reduced the Rapid PCR test charges to ₹3,500 from ₹3,900, sources told
# Amended guidelines: Following the Union Health Ministry’s letter that the State’s guidelines for international travellers were in divergence with Centre’s norms, the Maharashtra government, on Thursday, issued new amended guidelines.
#Kerala urged to up samples: Medical experts have requested the Kerala government to increase the number of samples sent for genome sequencing, considering the fast spread of the Omicron variant in several infected countries.
# Crunching timelines: Coming to the aid of State governments, co-operative banks and other agencies that were starved of funds due to the pandemic, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) re-engineered its processes related to sanctioning of project proposals. This helped the State governments and other agencies to roll out the projects faster during the pandemic.
# Omicron in Singapore too: Two travellers from South Africa have tested "preliminarily positive" for the Omicron variant of Covid-19 after landing in Singapore, the Ministry of Health has said.