First case of Omicron variant of SARS CoV-2 detected in Argentina in a traveler from South Africa

Situation in Argentina

On December 5, the first case of the Omicron variant in Argentina was confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory in a traveler from South Africa.

It is about a 38-year-old person, a resident of the province of San Luis, who attended a labor event in South Africa, returning to the country on November 30. The traveler presents a complete vaccination scheme and a history of COVID-19 in March 2021. A PCR test was performed prior to the return trip to Argentina (where he arrived via the United States) according to established protocols, with a negative result. An antigen test for SARS-CoV-2 is performed on arrival at Ezeiza International Airport, also with a negative result. You are transferred from the airport to your home in the province of San Luis in a rental car with a driver. Since his arrival he has been in isolation.

On December 2, the traveler learns that people with whom he was in contact at the work event in South Africa were diagnosed as positive COVID-19 cases, which is why he consults the local health system, despite be asymptomatic A new diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 (Antigen Test and PCR) was performed, yielding both positive results. Faced with this situation, the provincial authorities inform the national health authority, send the sample for genomic sequencing at the National Reference Laboratory, and study the sample at the Public Health Laboratory of the province of San Luis for the detection of characteristic mutations by PCR as screening, obtaining results with deletions compatible with Omicron or Alpha variants.

From the time he arrived at his place of origin, he has been in isolation. He presents four close contacts, who are also in isolation in another home, do not present symptoms and who were studied by PCR resulting so far negative for SARS CoV-2. All will be tested again at the end of the isolation.

International situation:

The first isolation of the new variant was reported on November 11 in Botswana, and then on November 14 in South Africa, reaching in some regions to be the predominant variant.

On November 26, 2021, the WHO designated variant B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern (VOC). The variant has been given the name Ómicron.

As of December 5, 2021, cases have been identified in other countries in Africa, Asia, Oceania, 17 countries of the European Union, in more than 15 states of the United States, Canada and Mexico. Although outside of South Africa, most of the cases are related to travelers, in many countries community transmission is beginning to be registered.
At the regional level, imported cases have been reported in Brazil and Chile.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE POPULATION:
• Start or complete vaccination schedules according to current recommendations:
o Everyone from 3 years of age must have two doses of vaccine
o Those aged 50 years and over who have received the Sinopharm vaccine as their primary schedule and those aged 3 years and older who are immunocompromised should receive an additional dose to complete their schedule
o Those people who have received the second dose of the vaccine at least 6 months ago should receive booster doses, according to the provincial vaccination plans
• Wear a chinstrap indoors and outdoors when you are near other people who are not living together.
• Maintain distance.
• Maintain continuous and cross ventilation of shared rooms with non-cohabitating people (social gatherings, work, school, recreational spaces and all other shared closed spaces.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
• Consult early in the presence of one or more symptoms compatible with COIVD-19.
• Strictly respect isolation (for COVID-19 cases) and quarantine (for close contacts of COVID-19 cases).

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