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Mainland China reports its first omicron Covid case

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Medical employee collects swab from a citizen for the COVID-19 nucleic acid take a look at at Zhenhai District on December 7, 2021 in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province of China.

Hu Xuejun | Visible China Group | Getty Pictures

BEIJING — Mainland China reported its first case of the omicron Covid variant on Monday within the metropolis of Tianjin, about two hours’ drive from the capital of Beijing.

The omicron case was present in a traveler from abroad, who confirmed no signs however examined constructive on Thursday, in accordance with Tianjin’s native well being fee. The affected person is in remoted therapy at a hospital, the fee stated.

On Monday, the UK reported the first publicly confirmed death globally from the omicron variant. The newly recognized variant — first reported in South Africa in late November — is extremely transmissible and closely mutated, and has raised issues in regards to the efficacy of current coronavirus vaccines.

Covid-19 first emerged in mainland China in late 2019. The nation managed the outbreak inside months, however the virus had in the meantime turn out to be a worldwide pandemic.

Mainland China has reported solely pockets of Covid-19 instances within the final 18 months, as Beijing pursues a troublesome “zero-tolerance” coverage that may imply sudden neighborhood lockdowns or journey restrictions. The most recent reemergence of Covid instances has been concentrated in Internal Mongolia and the southeastern a part of the nation.

The mainland well being fee reported a complete of 51 domestically confirmed instances for Monday, and 25 attributed to vacationers from abroad, with no new deaths.

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