The Omicron variant is on the rise in India, with nine new cases reported in Rajasthan and seven more in Maharashtra, all of which had a travel history to high-risk countries or close contact with patients, but the government said it anticipates the severity of Omicron to be “low.” India’s Omicron cases stood at 21 on Dec. 5. Six of the seven new cases reported in Maharashtra came from Pimpri Chinchwad, which includes a 44-year-old woman who came from Nigeria’s Lagos, and her two daughters. The remaining three were close contacts with the patients. Of those six patients, three patients were unvaccinated as they were only minors. Another case in Maharashtra came from Pune, which involved a 47-year-old man who had a travel history to Finland. These cases follow Maharasthra’s first Omicron case, which was reported on Dec. 4, involving a 33-year-old Kalyan-Dombivali resident who returned from South Africa’s Cape Town. …