The State on Thursday reported the first death due to the Omicron variant of the deadly virus.

The deceased was a 45-year-old woman from Agalpur block of Balangir district, who had been undergoing treatment at the VIMSAR, Burla. She died on December 27, informed Balangir CDMO Dr Snehalata Sahoo on Thursday.

The woman had been hospitalised in Balangir before being shifted to Burla after her condition deteriorated. On December 23, 2021, she had tested positive for Covid-19. She tested positive for Omicron on January 5, 2022, Dr Sahoo said.

Source said Indira Nayak, a resident of Dunguripali of Agalpur block, had suddenly collapsed on a village road on December 20, 2021. She was admitted to the Bhima Bhoi Medical College Hospital in Balangir, where doctors said she suffered a massive heart attack. After her condition worsened, she was referred to the VIMSAR. She tested Covid positive while undergoing treatment, following which her swab sample was sent for genome sequencing. However, she was declared dead on December 27 before being confirmed as Omicron positive.

Her body was handed over to her family for cremation. Many of her relatives and villagers had attended the final rituals. Ten days after cremation, her genome sequencing report came positive for Omicron on January 5.

The incident has raised many eyebrows questioning the Government’s efficiency in tackling the Covid situation as the first death case due to Omicron was reported 10 long days after it happened.

However, VIMSAR Superintendent Dr Lalit Mohan Nayak said it was a clear case of death due to a fatal accident though rumour still goes that she died of Omicron, for which “we are surprised”.

Other sources said that Omicron was an incidental finding although it was an accident case and treatment was done mainly for cerebral hemorrhage not Omicron.