Two COVID-19 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in India, the country's Health Ministry said on Thursday, in the first confirmation of the coronavirus strain within the country's borders that has triggered global alarm. NDTV reports that both the cases have been reported in Karnataka with the patients being two foreigners aged 66 and 46. All people who came in contact with the two men have been traced and are being tested, he said, adding that both the cases are mild and there are no severe symptoms so far. "There is no need to panic about the Omicron detection but awareness is absolutely essential. Follow Coivd-appropriate behaviour, avoid gatherings," Mr Agarwal said. Early indications have suggested the heavily-mutated Omicron may be markedly more contagious than previous variants, however, there has been no evidence of the strain any deadlier. "There will be no drastic curbs any time soon. The situation is well under control," Dr VK Paul, chief of the centre's COVID-19 task force, said. India was set to restart scheduled commercial international flights on December 15, but on Wednesday scrapped that plan and said a resumption date would be announced in due course. The government has advised states to ramp up testing, a week after the health ministry said a recent fall in testing could undermine India's efforts to contain the pandemic.