Saudi Arabia Confirms First Case Of Omicron Variant Covid-19

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Saudi Arabia confirms first case varian Omicron Covid-19 originating in the north African country, state news agency Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday.

SPA, citing a statement from the kingdom’s health ministry, said authorities had isolated the person and those who had contact with them. Reuters, December 2, 2021.

This is the first reported case of the Omicron variant in the Middle East and North Africa. The health ministry said the person was a Saudi national who had traveled from the North African country, without providing further details.

“Referring to what has been announced about the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in several countries, and detecting the movement of those infected to other countries, a source at the Ministry of Health said that a case of the Omicron variant was detected in Saudi Arabia in a resident who returned from a North African country,” said SPA.

“An epidemiological investigation has begun and the patient has been sent to quarantine, where accredited health procedures are followed,” a health ministry source said. Saudi Gazette.

Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia urged people to complete their vaccinations and ordered travelers to respect self-isolation and testing rules.

The Omicron variant was first reported on November 24 in southern Africa, where infections have sharply increased. Since then Omicron has spread to more than a dozen countries, many of which have imposed travel restrictions to try to shut down.

Japan on Monday joined Israel and Morocco in saying it would completely close its borders.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday that varian Omicron which are highly mutated, are likely to spread internationally and pose a very high risk of a spike in infections and could have “severe consequences” in some places.

Also read: Japan Confirms First Case Of Covid-19 Variant Omicron

REUTERS | SAUDI PRESS AGENCY | SAUDI GAZETTE

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