Kurdistan Region, Iraq record first cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on Thursday recorded the first cases of the new coronavirus variant following a decline in the rate of infections and deaths from the respiratory virus which began spreading across the world almost two years ago.

Five cases of the Omicron variant were detected in Duhok province in the Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s health minister Saman Barzinji said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

The new infections were reported in one family after one of its members returned from abroad, infecting the rest, Barzinji told reporters.

Iraq also announced at the same time that a number of diplomats in Baghdad had tested positive for the Omicron variant, without disclosing how many.

Coronavirus infections in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region soared over the summer during a surge in Delta cases. Both areas registered high numbers of infections and deaths.

During the conference, Barzinji urged the Kurdistan Region’s population to get vaccinated, adding that the recently infected family had not received their jabs.

In early December, the health minister said the Kurdistan Region had not detected any cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Omicron variant was first reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on November 24, and was designated as a variant of concern two days later as it spread to several countries.

The WHO has said evidence show that Omicron causes milder symptoms than the Delta variant, Reuters on Tuesday quoted a health official as saying.

Iraq warned of a new strain spreading through the country in late October, urging people to get vaccinated.

To date, Iraq has recorded 2,095,183 cases and 24,191 deaths since the start of the pandemic, including the Kurdistan Region.