Three cases of the Omicron variant confirmed in Andalucía, and another four suspected

The region’s Ministry of Health said that all the infected people are self-isolating, have mild symptoms and that none have needed hospital admission for the moment

ROSSEL APARICIO

Thursday, 9 December 2021, 15:09

The Junta de Andalucía has confirmed the first three cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in the region this Thursday, 9 December, as well as the existence of four other suspected cases that have yet to be positively identified.

Of the three confirmed cases of Omicron, two are located in Cadiz province and another in Almeria and all patients appear to have 'mild symptoms' are 'in self- isolation' and none of them has required hospital admission.

This has been disclosed by the region’s Minister of Health, Jesús Aguirre, who said of the confirmed cases, two are people who made flights to South Africa and the third was infected by community transmission. In the latter case, the infection was picked in another region although the affected person travelled to Andalucía during the long ‘bridge’ holiday.

Aguirre went on to assure that although the strain seems to have a greater transmission rate, it also has less "virulence."

The four suspected cases are being analysed in laboratories at the San Cecilio Hospital in Granada and the Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Seville, whose professionals Aguirre thanked for the daily work they do for the "sequencing" of new strains.