Οmicron variant detected in 28 samples in Cyprus

The Health Ministry in Cyprus announced on Friday that the Omicron variant was detected in 28 samples.

The cases were detected following a sequencing process by the Institute of Neurology and Genetics and NIPD lab as well as a thorough analysis of data by the Molecular Virology Lab of the University of Cyprus.

In particular, eight cases were confirmed as Omicron by the Institute of Neurology and Genetics and are contacts of the first 5 Omicron cases confirmed last week that had a travel background.

Five are students who attended the school trip in Scotland, and 3 are their family members. All these cases were "possible Omicron cases" since December 10th and these individuals were instructed to stay in quarantine.

Twenty cases were confirmed by NIPD Lab and the Molecular Virology Lab of Cyprus University. Twelve are contacts of the 5 first cases in Cyprus of which 5 are students and 1 is a teacher who were on a school trip.  The remaining 6 are family members.

All these cases were also instructed on December 10th to isolate. Eight cases are connected to travel.