City
Epaper

Officials say Omicron found in Netherlands 'earlier than thought'

By ANI | Updated: November 30, 2021 22:05 IST

Netherlands health officials on Tuesday said that the new COVID-19 variant Omicron was detected in the country a week earlier than previously believed.

Open in App

Netherlands health officials on Tuesday said that the new COVID-19 variant Omicron was detected in the country a week earlier than previously believed.

"RIVM has found the Omicron variant in test samples taken in the Netherlands earlier in November. These samples were taken in the GGD test lanes on 19 and 23 November 2021," National Health and Environment Institute said in a statement.

The RIVM also said that it is not yet clear whether the people concerned (in the earlier cases) have also been to southern Africa.

"On November 29, two samples were confirmed as the Omicron variant. It is not yet clear whether these people had also visited southern Africa," RIVM said, adding that the people had been informed and municipal health services had now started contact investigations.

The 13 people were identified among 61 passengers who tested positive for coronavirus, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said in a statement.

Initial results from genome sequencing showed the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) in 13 of the samples from the positive tests, said the RIVM.

On November 26, 624 passengers from South Africa were tested for coronavirus. Of them, 61 received a positive test result.

The Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), a new variant of the COVID-19, was first reported in Botswana on November 11, 2021, and appeared on November 14 in South Africa. It has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.

( With inputs from ANI )

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Tags: National Institute for Public Health and the EnvironmentNational institute for public health
Open in App

Related Stories

HealthMonkeypox cases rise to 6 in Netherlands

HealthNetherlands confirms first monkeypox case

HealthUK doctors to spot breast cancer spread using magnetic marker liquid

InternationalDutch govt lifts most COVID-19 measures as country returns to "normal"

InternationalNetherlands reports record of over 42,000 new COVID-19 cases per day

International Realted Stories

InternationalJapan's involvement to strengthen tech capabilities, foster economic growth: Assam CM

InternationalUAE President receives phone call from Lebanese President

InternationalUS Admiral warns of China's expanding military exercises and rapid naval buildup

InternationalFM Nirmala Sitharaman arrives in Milan to attend ADB's 58th annual meeting

InternationalTaiwan plans stricter rules for officials' travel to China