On Thursday, Kerala's Health Minister Veena George informed that five more cases of COVID-19 variant Omicron have been reported in the state. As reported earlier, airports across Kerala have ramped up screening and COVID-19 testing, for arriving passengers in light of increasing cases of Omicron across the globe. On Thursday, Four people who arrived at the Ernakulam airport and one from Kozhikode were diagnosed with the disease. With this, the total tally climbed to 29.

Two people aged 28 and 24 who arrived from the UK, a 35-year-old man from Albania, and a 40-year-old Pathanamthitta native from Nigeria tested Covid positive in Ernakulam. The 21-year-old Kozhikode native who tested positive had arrived at Kozhikode after landing in Bengaluru airport. Of these, two were infected through contacts. Also, of the total 29 cases, 17 are from high-risk countries and 10 from low-risk countries.

Ahead of the festive season of Christmas and New year, the state government has also urged citizens to ensure full vaccination and follow strict protocols. According to the Kerala health department, 75 percent of the state's population aged above 18 have taken both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine.