Saudi Arabia reports first case of Omicron virus in the kingdom

Saudi Arabia has confirmed its first case of the Omicron Covid variant coming from a North African country, state news agency SPA reported today.

SPA, quoting a statement from the kingdom’s health ministry, said authorities had isolated the person and people who were in contact with them.

It is the first Omicron variant case reported in the Middle East and North Africa. The ministry said the person was a Saudi national who had travelled from a North African country, without disclosing further details.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman played down the likely fallout from the new coronavirus variant that pummeled oil markets last week.

“I’m a very relaxed person. I’m not concerned,” the minister had said when asked how the new strain may affect demand.

Read: Saudi energy minister not concerned about new Covid variant

Meanwhile, last month, Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended flights to and from an 14 countries in Africa due to concerns over the outbreak of the newly discovered coronavirus strain Omicron.

The decision applied to South Africa (where the variant was first detected), Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros.

Read: Saudi suspends flights to and from seven additional African countries over Omicron