South Korea on Wednesday reported its first cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant and tightened travel restrictions as fears grew about the strain’s impact on the country’s ongoing Covid surge.
Health authorities said Omicron was detected in five people, including a fully vaccinated couple who had visited Nigeria from November 14 to 23, returning two days before the variant was officially reported by South Africa.
They tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, and subsequent genetic sequencing tests showed it was the new variant, said the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It said their friend also had Omicron.
While much is still unknown about Omicron, its emergence has fuelled fears in South Korea and around the world that it could intensify Covid-19 outbreaks.
The WHO believes the high number of mutations on this variant may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines, but it could take weeks to determine whether and to what extent Omicron is vaccine-resistant
