KARACHI – Pakistan has detected its second case of the Covid-19 Omicron variant that first emerged in South Africa last month, prompting various nations to re-impose travel restrictions.
Reports said that the case was detected after a 35-year-old patient returned to Karachi from the United Kingdom, which is not included in Pakistan’s Category C list.
Health officials confirmed the presence of the Omicron variant in the person after completing genomic sequencing of the sample.
Later, the patient was shifted to a government-controlled quarantine facility set up at a hotel in the city where 19 other suspected Covid-19 patients are isolated.
The Omicron-infected patient, however, managed to flee the facility due to a lack of proper security arrangement that is a responsibility of the government.
Report further said that so far 38 Covid patients have fled from the facility.
Pakistan allows stranded citizens in Category C countries to return by Dec 31
