Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad announced Thursday that two suspected cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected in Lebanon, as this new strain of the virus has raised fears of the worst for global health authorities.
“Genetic analyzes of PCR tests have shown changes which could indicate that two people have contracted the Omicron variant of the coronavirus,” the minister announced during “a press conference this afternoon.” These two people, who arrived at Beirut airport from the African continent are in good health “, assured Mr. Abiad.” Their symptoms are mild and they have been in isolation since their arrival, “he said.
Lebanon recorded 1,994 cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, “one of the highest numbers for some time,” according to the minister. As of Thursday, ten deaths and 1,836 new cases were recorded. Since the start of the epidemic, the Lebanese authorities have recorded more than 688,000 cases, including 8,814 deaths.
Omicron appears to have a higher reinfection rate, but cause less severe symptoms, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday, while Pfizer and BioNTech laboratories assured that their vaccine against Covid-19 was ” always effective “after three doses against this variant. These announcements were preceded by those of high-ranking scientists from the WHO and the White House, according to which the existing vaccines against Covid-19 remain a priori relevant in the face of this variant, including the recent discovery in South Africa. arouses a wave of panic, recalls AFP.
Firas Abiad’s announcement comes as Lebanon is experiencing a worrying increase in the circulation of the virus in a country hit by a serious socio-economic crisis, and whose health system is in collapse. To make matters worse, only 34% of the population is vaccinated, while many people are reluctant to receive the vaccine. The authorities now organize weekly “marathons” to try to vaccinate as many people as possible, but these efforts have so far not led to a significant breakthrough in the vaccination rate.
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Lebanese Minister of Health Firas Abiad announced Thursday that two suspected cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected in Lebanon, as this new strain of the virus makes world health authorities fear the worst. “Genetic analyzes of tests PCR showed changes that could indicate that two people have contracted the Omicron variant …
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