The first case of Omicron was identified a few hours after the closure of arrivals from 8 southern African countries: it was sequenced by the Sacco hospital in Milan. The patient, residing in Campania, had traveled from Mozambique and in good health
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus responsible for Covid arrived in Italy. A few hours after the closure of flights from 8 countries in the southern African area, where the variant was identified, a first case was also sequenced in Italy.
As part of the sequencing activities by the network coordinated by theHigher Institute of Health, in fact, on Saturday 27 November a sequence attributable to the one now known as the Omicron variant was identified. The sample – explains the Higher Institute of Health – is in the process of further confirmation to have the definitive assignment of the lineage.
The genome was sequenced at the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Virology and Bioemergency Diagnostics of theSacco Hospital in Milan from a positive sample of a person residing in Caserta, vaccinated with two doses.
The man – an executive of a major company with oil interests, vaccinated with two doses – would be landed in Rome from Mozambique November 11th. He returned to Caserta by car from Fiumicino airport, then left there on 15 November for the Lombard capital, where he was subjected to health checks and a molecular swab by his company.
On November 19, five family members of the manager – including the two children, whose classes have been quarantined – tested positive in Caserta. All are now in Caserta, in isolation: but they are in good health and show mild symptoms of the disease.
The epidemiological investigations were carried out by ATS Milan and by the ASL under the responsibility of the Campania Region.
Cases of the Omicron variant have already been found with certainty – until now – in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel, Great Britain, Germany, the Czech Republic and Belgium. In addition, many of the 61 travelers who returned to the Netherlands on Friday with two flights from South Africa and tested positive at Covid would also test positive for the Omicron variant.
Article being updated …
November 27, 2021 (change November 27, 2021 | 21:34)
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