Omicron: Spain detects first case as traveller from South Africa tests COVID positive

The cases of the new Omicron variant continue to emerge across the world. The latest country to discover the new variant is Spain, according to the Associated Press. The first case of Omicron variant of coronavirus has been discovered in the microbiology service of the Gregorio Maranon Hospital.

The microbiology and infectious disease service of the Gregorio Maranon hospital, in a tweet, informed that the sequencing of samples from the patient showed that he was infected with the Omicron variant of the COVID virus, according to AP. The hospital further revealed that the 51-year old patient is in good condition.

The man who has tested for the Omicron variant in Spain had travelled from South Africa, after having a stopover at Amsterdam. According to the health authorities, the man had first tested positive for COVID-19 at the Madrid airport. The authorities are monitoring other passengers who came in close contact with the patient infected with the Omicron variant.

COVID-19 situation in Spain

According to the Spain Health Department, the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Spain has reached 5,153,923. Around 7,123, 553 vaccine doses have been administered against COVID.

Omicron variant 

The World Health Organization (WHO) on November 26, designated the variant, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern and named it Omicron, on the suggestion of the Technical Advisory Group On Virus Evolution(TAG-VE). The WHO first received the first report of the new variant from South Africa on November 24.

The new variant has been detected in countries like Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, Spain, Australia, Canada South Africa, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Israel, according to AP. WHO pointed out that the data has shown an increased risk of reinfection with the new variant and it has a large number of mutations.

G7 Health Ministers call for 'urgent action'

Amid growing concern over the new variant, the G7 health ministers held an emergency meeting on Monday, November 29, about the Omicron strain of COVID-19 spreading across the world. The meeting chaired by UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid discussed the development on the Omicron variant.

After the meeting, G7 leaders issued a joint statement and called for 'urgent action' to tackle the new variant. The G7 leaders stated that the new variant is a highly transmissible variant of COVID-19. 

Inputs from AP

Image: AP/Pixabay