LNP – Three more cases of Omicron COVID identified in SL; seven cases so far

Three more new cases of Omicron COVID variant were reported today in Sri Lanka, COVID-19 Coordinator, Director of Technical Services of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Anwar Hamdani said.

He told Daily Mirror that one out of newly detected patients was a Sri Lankan while the other two were foreigners.

“They had arrived in Sri Lanka some time back. However, no contacts were traced and there is no threat due to the new detection,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jude Jayamaha, Consultant Virologist of the Medical Research Institute told a news briefing today that two of the patients had arrived from Sudan while the other patient is a returnee from Tanzania.

Accordingly, the total number of Omicron patients identified in Sri Lanka increased to seven as of today (22).

The Health authorities are of the opinion that Omicron cases could increase in future and thus, raised the importance of receiving the booster dose without further delay.

The first patient carrying the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 was identified in Sri Lanka on December 03. The patient was a Sri Lankan citizen who had returned from South Africa on November 24.