TURKEY yesterday reported the first six cases of the new Omicron Covid variant. 

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca confirmed the cases during budget talks in Parliament, saying they were detected in Istanbul and western Izmir province, reported Anadolu Agency. 

“They are outpatients who do not have any problems and are with extremely mild symptoms,” he said, adding that the infected people have not been hospitalised. 

Koca gave no further details about how they caught the Omicron variant.

South African scientists announced on November 24 the discovery of the novel variant, which has several mutations. 

The World Health Organization on Wednesday said that Omicron, which it had declared a variant of concern, has been detected in 57 countries so far, with more countries reporting omicron cases since then. – Bernama, December 12, 2021.