Dutch health authorities said on Sunday that 13 cases of the newly detected Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been registered in the country. The Dutch National Institute for Health (RIVM) noted that all the Omicron infections were confirmed among people who arrived in the country from South Africa, where the strain was first detected. The authorities added that a total of 61 people out of 600 who flew to the Netherlands on the last two flights before it imposed a travel ban tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation while sequencing is carried out to determine if they have the Omicron strain. “The new variant may be found in more test samples,” RIVM added.
France to tighten measures over Omicron variant
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Sunday that the country will tighten its COVID-19 measures due to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Speaking at a vaccination center in Paris, Veran stated the new strain is likely already in circulation in France even though no cases have been confirmed yet. “There is no identification yet, but it’s a matter of hours,” the minister stated.
Australia registers 2 cases of Omicron variant
Australian authorities said on Sunday that two cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron have been registered in the country. “The two positive cases, who were asymptomatic, are in isolation in the special health accommodation. Both people are fully vaccinated,” New South Wales Health stated. Australia is one of the countries with the strictest coronavirus measures and Health Minister Greg Hunt stressed that the government is considering imposing further restrictions due to the emergence of Omicron, a variant that scientists warned could be immune to existing vaccines.