No Omicron Variant Patient in Iran

Date: 30 November 2021 - 21:42

News ID: ۹۷۲۲۴

TEHRAN (FNA) - Head of Coronavirus Management Center in Tehran Alireza Zali said on Monday that no COVID-19 patient in Iran has yet been diagnosed with infection with Omicron variant which has spread in a number of African and European states.
Any variant of COVID-19 virus discovered in any of the 5 continents has triggered a pandemic, he said, and stressed the need for the adoption of more precautionary measures at the Iranian borders.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned countries to brace for the new Omicron COVID variant, urging them to boost vaccination for vulnerable groups.
The WHO released a technical brief on Omicron, which was classified as a variant of concern (VOC) on Friday.
The agency described Omicron as a variant with a high number of mutations, some of which “may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility”.
At the same time, the WHO noted that there are “still considerable uncertainties” regarding the new strain of the virus.
The agency urged countries to ramp up their monitoring of all coronavirus variants, including Omicron, and boost vaccination “as rapidly as possible”, specially in terms of covering high-priority and vulnerable groups.
Measures like masking and physical distancing remain crucial in the fight against the pandemic, the agency added.
Also known as the B.1.1.529 variant, Omicron was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on Wednesday. It was later discovered in countries such as Australia, the UK, Belgium, and Canada.