South Korea confirms the first five cases of Omicron variants

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Seoul, South Korea-South Korea confirmed on Wednesday the first five cases of new Omicron coronavirus variants in people associated with arrivals from Nigeria and urged the government to tighten borders.

The Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Wednesday that the incident included a couple arriving from Nigeria on November 24 and a friend who took them home from the airport. The other two cases were women who also traveled to Nigeria and returned to South Korea on November 23.

Health care workers have previously stated that they are conducting genetic sequencing tests on the couple’s children and the male relatives who brought them home to determine if they were infected.

After confirming the Omicron infection, South Korea announced that all passengers arriving abroad in the next two weeks, regardless of nationality or vaccination status, would need to be quarantined for at least 10 days.

The country has already banned short-term foreign travelers arriving from eight South African countries, including South Africa, starting Sunday to fend off Omicron, who appears to be more infectious than other versions of the virus. rice field. Authorities say the same rules apply to foreigners from Nigeria.

KDCA official Choi Seung-ho said the couple, who arrived from Nigeria on November 24, were completely vaccinated, while their teenage children and the friends who drove them were vaccinated. He said he wasn’t. Another KDCA employee, Park Young-joon, said the four did not show any serious illness except for mild respiratory symptoms or myalgia.

The emergence of Omicron has caused global vigilance and forced countries to tighten their borders, but scientists say this subspecies is more contagious or dangerous than other strains, including the Delta subspecies. It’s not clear if it’s there yet.

The staff will guide the passengers
On December 1, 2021, staff will guide passengers at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea. (Ahn Yong Joon / AP photo)
Associated Press

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