PESHAWAR: The National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed the first case of Omicron variant on Monday.
The NIH confirmed the case after analyzing the samples obtained from the suspected patient on 8 December in Karachi. “The patient in Karachi has been diagnosed with a new variant of coronavirus, Omicron, by genome sequencing,” said the statement, adding that the patient was isolated at home and her health was improving. The NIH said that so far no other patient of the omicron variant has been deducted in the city.
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The National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) also confirmed the Omicron variant, saying that “the National Institutes of Health, Islamabad has confirmed that the suspected specimen of the patient from Karachi is of the Omicron variant.” The NCOC said in a tweet that “This is the first confirmed case but continued surveillance of identified samples is in place to identify trends.”
On December 8, the first suspected case of the highly contagious variant of Coronavirus was reported in Karachi. Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho had said in a video message that the first “suspected” case has been reported. De Pechuho had said that a 57-year-old woman had been affected by the Omicron, but it will be possible to confirm the case after a genomic study.
The Omicron variant was first reported in South Africa last month. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Omicron as an ‘extremely fast-moving’ variant and has included it in the Delta variant category.
The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has urged the Khyber Paktunkhwa health authorities to increase the number of booster shot points in the city. In a statement issued here on Monday, SCCI president Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad said that after reporting case of Covid-19 new variant Omicron in Pakistan, the provincial health department has established two points for booster shot in Hayatabad Medical Complex and Khyber Medical University Peshawar, which he termed insufficient to timely inoculate large number population of Peshawar.