Saudi Arabia confirmed the first case of the new variant of Omicron Covid19, as country restrictions on international trips in an attempt to slow down their propagation intensify.
Saudis Staterun SPA quoted a source from the Ministry of Health as saying that the infected person – an isolated Saudi citizen – had returned from a North African country.
The announcement came when Ugur Sahin, CEO of BioNTech, a manufacturer of COVID19 vaccines, said that while the Omicron variant could cause more people who are vaccinated to become infected, it will likely remain protected from serious illnesses noted Merck’s COVID19 pill that could lead to approval later this week.
Scientists had difficulty learning more about the effects of the Omicron variant, was first recognized last week in South Africa.
It’s unclear where or when the variant first appeared, but nations have been quick to impose travel restrictions, especially for visitors from southern Africa, despite a World Health Organization call for action.
