Dubai: Omicron, a new variant of the corona virus, has been confirmed in the UAE and US following Saudi Arabia. The virus was detected in an African woman who arrived in the UAE. The woman has been isolated as advised by the health officials.

Those who came in contact with the infected person is also being monitored. The health department has taken precautionary measures to deal with any situation. The Ministry of Health has urged everyone to complete their vaccinations, including the booster dose.
In the US, an African American man who arrived in California on November 22 was found to be infected with the Omicron virus. The infected person was identified with the variant on the 29th.

Saudi Arabian confirmed its omicron case in a national who came from Africa yesterday. He was transferred to isolation. Those who were in contact with the patient were also placed on quarantine. As of now, Saudi Arabia has imposed a travel ban on 14 African countries.

Israel says preliminary research suggests the current vaccine may be effective against the Omicron variant. Israeli researchers have revealed that Omicron has twice as much transmission capacity as the Delta variant. The president of Moderna Inc. said yesterday that the current vaccine may not work against the new variant. Israel's revelation however refutes this argument.