Tunisia's first case of Omicron variant detected in passenger who traveled from Turkey

Tunisia has announced that it recorded its first case of the Omicron variant in a passenger who traveled to the North African country from Turkey.

Monday December 06 2021 01:44 pm

Duvar English

A member of Tunisia's COVID-19 task force has announced that the country recorded its first case of the Omicron variant in a passenger who traveled to the North African country from Turkey.

Dr. Hachemi Louzer said the man was from the Democratic Republic of Congo and that he tested positive on Dec. 3 at the Tunis international airport after arriving from Istanbul.

Subsequent screening of the sample at the Pasteur Institute for Public Health in the capital, Tunis, confirmed the omicron variant, Louzer said.

Several of his fellow travelers, including his brother, who tested negative for COVID-19 have been quarantined, he said.

Health authorities have restricted travel to Tunisia after the spread of the Omicron variant in Africa and Europe over the past week.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Dec. 3 announced that no Omicron variants were detected in Turkey.