Saudi Arabia confirms first omicron COVID-19 case

Saudi Arabia confirmed Wednesday its first case of the COVID-19 omicron variant on a passenger coming from a north African country, state news agency SPA reported.

The passenger, a Saudi national, along with those he was in contact with has been isolated, SPA added.

“An epidemiological investigation has started and the case was sent to quarantine, where accredited health procedures were followed,” the report said.

A health official from Saudi Arabia’s health ministry has called on people to finish their COVID-19 vaccine shots and for travelers to adhere to quarantine and testing protocols upon their arrival.

The spread of the latest strain comes as Saudi Arabia’s ban on direct travel from several countries ended, with the Kingdom continuing to relax pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Travelers from six countries — India, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil and Vietnam — can now arrive in the Kingdom without having to spend 14 days outside those countries before entering Saudi Arabia.