Mumbai, Dec 17 (IANS): Spelling fresh concerns, Maharashtra recorded 8 new cases of the Covid-19 variant Omicron, taking the state's tally to 40 now, health officials said here on Friday.

The new cases - all males, fully vaccinated, in the age group of 29-45 - comprise six from Pune, and one each in Mumbai and Thane.

Of the new cases, four had travelled to Dubai, one to the US and one to Nigeria, while two are the close contacts of the Dubai returnees who were tested positive in the first week of December.

While seven are asymptomatic, one has exhibited mild symptoms and two are hospitalised, with efforts on toAtrack the contacts of all the infectees.

Intensive surveillance of passengers arriving at the three international airports - Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur - is currently underway since December 1.

A total of 16,617 travellers have landed here from the "high risk" countries of which 45 have tested positive and 16 from other countries, with all their reports sent for genomic sequencing to confirm if they are afflicted by Omicron, said the officials.

Besides, 525 samples from field surveys conducted since November 1 have been sent for genomic sequencing with the results of 79 awaited, said Health Department officials.

Of the Omicron spread in the state, Mumbai accounts for 14 cases, 18 in Pune, two each in Thane and Osmanabad, and one each in Nagpur, Palghar, Latur and Buldhana.