Saudi Arabia reports first case of Omicron variant of coronavirus

Dubai : Saudi Arabia has reported Gulf’s first confirmed case of Omicron variant of coronavirus that came via a citizen who returned from North Africa, said health ministry official on Wednesday.

The strain which was first discovered in South Africa has forced several nations to reimpose travel restrictions across the globe. 

"One case of the Omicron variant has been detected in the kingdom -- it was a citizen coming from a North African country," the ministry official told the state SPA news agency.

"He has been put in isolation, as have his contacts, and the necessary health measures have been taken."

Last week, Saudi Arabia halted all flight services from Southern African countries but travel links from the northern African countries were kept unaffected.

Since the pandemic started, Saudi Arabia has recorded 549,000 cases of Covid-19, 8,836 of them fatal.