China Records First Case Of Omicron
China has recorded its first case of the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant, state media disclosed this on Monday.
Authorities in the northern city of Tianjin detected the variant in an individual who entered the country from an undisclosed overseas location, according to the Tianjin Daily newspaper.
The asymptomatic patient tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday before further tests “confirmed the detection of the… Omicron variant”, the report said, adding that the person was being treated in isolation at hospital.
China has recorded only about 100,000 confirmed Covid cases since the virus emerged in Wuhan almost two years ago — less than the number of daily cases in the US and UK
The discovery of Omicron in Tianjin came as tens of thousands of people in China have been subjected to new lockdowns owing to Covid-19 outbreaks. Authorities are rushing to contain dozens of cases in the Yangtze river delta, a vital manufacturing centre.
