KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore’s well being ministry stated Thursday that preliminary checks detected the brand new omicron variant of the coronavirus in two passengers who arrived on a airplane from Johannesburg, the nation’s first suspected instances. It stated it’s conducting additional checks to substantiate the outcomes.
The ministry stated the 2 Singaporeans have been remoted upon arrival on Wednesday and had not interacted locally.
The outcomes of their polymerase chain response check on arrival “revealed the presence of S-gene goal failure which can be related to the omicron variant,” it stated.
The ministry stated 19 different passengers on the identical flight examined adverse for COVID-19 and have been positioned beneath quarantine.
It stated the 2 obvious instances are each absolutely vaccinated and have delicate signs of cough and scratchy throat.
One is a male who arrived in Singapore from Mozambique, transiting by means of Johannesburg, it stated. The opposite is a lady who flew instantly from South Africa. Each of their pre-departure checks on Monday have been adverse, the ministry stated in an announcement.
Singapore lately banned the entry and transit of non-residents from seven African nations. It additionally now requires all vacationers to Singapore to endure pre-departure and on-arrival checks. Singapore has a excessive vaccination charge, with 96% of its eligible inhabitants inoculated.
A lot stays unknown concerning the new variant, together with whether or not it’s extra contagious, as some well being authorities suspect, whether or not it makes folks extra significantly sick, and whether or not it could possibly thwart vaccines.
