Guwahati: First two cases of people infected with the Omicron variant have been detected in Nepal.
The Ministry of Health and Population’s assistant spokesperson Sameer Kumar Adhikari says the new variant that is terrorising the world of late has been detected in a foreigner living in Nepal and a Nepali in contact with the foreigner.
Both of them were already vaccinated against Covid-19, according to him.
The Nepali national that has been detected with the variant is a 71-year-old while the foreigner is 66. The latter had entered Nepal via air, from Tribhuvan International Airport.
It has been learnt that the foreign visitor had produced a recent negative PCR report upon arrival.
Additionally, the Nepali national had come into contact with the visitor. They both eventually started showing symptoms of the infections and got tested, leading to a positive diagnosis.
The ministry says both the persons do not have any symptoms now and are under medical surveillance.
The government, tracing their contacts, had tested 66 other people, but all of them showed negative results, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, the ministry says it has strengthened surveillance following the detection of the new Omicron variant.
(Inputs from Agencies)
