ISLAMABAD – The National Institute of Health (NIH) on Tuesday confirmed that the number of cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant has reached 75 so far.
Since WHO designated Omicron as a Variant of Concern on 26 November 2021, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC), the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and the provincial departments have remained vigilant to detect the variant in Pakistan, the NIH said in a statement.
“The first case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was reported on December 13 in Karachi,” it said.
“As of December 27, a total of 75 Omicron cases have been confirmed; 33 in Karachi, 17 in Islamabad and 13 in Lahore,” the statement said, adding: “12 cases were associated with international travel”.
— NIH Pakistan (@NIH_Pakistan) December 28, 2021
“The relevant authorities have isolated the patients and initiated contract tracing in order to control the spread of the variant,” read the statement.
“Vaccination and SOPs continue to be our best defence against Covid-19 despite the mutations being reported,” it added.
“All government approved Covid-19 vaccines available in Pakistan remain highly effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation. The government urges everyone to get both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine as well as the booster dose as per the eligibility criteria and process,” the statement said.
Pakistan confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant on December 13 after gene-sequencing of a suspected patient at Aga Khan University Hospital.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/first-case-of-omicron-detected-in-islamabad/
