chili reported yesterday the first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus detected in its territory, a resident foreigner who returned from Ghana on November 25 and who tested positive for a PCR test performed upon entering the Santiago airport.
Brazil and Mexico they also confirmed whats first cases of this variant en their territories this week.
The foreigner, who had two Pfizer vaccines, is in good health and isolated in a health residence serving quarantine, while epidemiological monitoring was being carried out on the passengers with whom he shared a flight, say the Chilean health authorities.
Meanwhile, the United States is detecting more cases of infected with Omicron. New York yesterday announced three more cases, bringing the total number of infections in the state to eight.
“The Omicron variant is here and as anticipated we are seeing the beginning of its spread among the community,” said the Health Commissioner Mary Bassett.
The number of states in which the variant has been detected has also increased, including Massachusetts, which announced its first case yesterday, a day after New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland announced their first infections. Missouri reported a case Friday that it believes could be its first infected.
The variant has already been detected also in Nebraska, Minnesota, California, Hawaii, Colorado, and Utah.
On Brazil, the city of Rio de Janeiro He finally decided to suspend his massive New Year’s party before the arrival of the variant to the country, a measure taken by most of the capitals of the country and which adds doubts about the realization of the famous Rio Carnival.
“In this way, we are going to cancel the official celebration of the New Year’s party in Rio,” announced Mayor Eduardo Paes.
In Brazil, the pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 615,000 people, the second-highest total in the world after the United States.
AP, AFP and Reuters
PHOTO: AP
MAAZ
