Omicron variant detected in 24 countries, regions

The heavily mutated COVID variant ‘Omicron’ has spread to 24 countries and regions, global authorities say. 

The omicron coronavirus variant has now been found in two dozen countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) says that although there's still much to be learned about the new strain, there's no indication that existing COVID-19 vaccines won't continue to save lives. 

As per WHO, the new strain had been detected in 23 countries, but Yesterday (Wednesday) the United States (US) reported its first case of the omicron variant. 

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday in Geneva, Maria Van Kerkhove, the COVID-19 technical lead in WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said scientists expect to know more soon about how quickly the new variant spreads and how severe it might be. 

While it is "early days," there's "some indication that some of the patients are presenting with mild disease," Van Kerkhove said.  

The WHO termed Omicron a "variant of concern" by last week after it emerged in South Africa.

The variants has quickly become a global cause for concern amid speculation that it could possibly evade vaccines and acquired immunity from infection with previous strains including the now-dominant delta variant.  

Following the alarming situation, 56 countries were reportedly implementing travel measures.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia became the first Gulf state to identify an Omicron case with authorities in Riyadh saying that the variant had been identified in a traveller arriving from a North African country.

In Asia, South Korea confirmed its first cases.

Japan has confirmed a second case of the Omicron variant in a person who arrived from Peru, one day after it reported its first case in a Namibian diplomat. 

The US has become the latest nation to report its first case.