SYDNEY – More cases of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 were reported in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).
Two cases were confirmed by NSW health authorities yesterday evening. Both are international travellers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on November 28. They are both fully vaccinated and currently isolated in the Special Health Accommodation.
NSW chief medical officer Paul Kelly told the press today that the two new cases are similar to those detected in other countries – they are young and have very mild or no symptoms.
“We don’t know about the vaccine’s effectiveness. We don’t know about the severity and there are mixed reports on that from South Africa itself – and I would echo the Australian health minister’s view that this has been a difficult time for them and their neighbouring countries, one of which is Malawi,” Kelly said.
Another individual outside of quarantine was also found to be infected with the new variant, bringing the total number of active Omicron cases in the state to five, Xinhua quoted a local media report.
The woman in her 30s arrived in Sydney on November 27, before new travel restrictions were in place. She had travelled to at least two southern African countries prior to arriving, and it is understood she visited several venues on the NSW central coast, said a report by national broadcaster ABC.
Urgent genomic sequencing is also underway to investigate whether two confirmed Covid-19 cases who arrived in Sydney on Thursday from abroad were infected with the Omicron strain, ABC said.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Health Ministry (MoH) said its NSW counterpart confirmed that the travellers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on Singapore Airlines SQ211 on November 28 had tested positive for the new variant.
The ministry said the travellers departed from Johannesburg on November 27 via Singapore Airlines SQ481 and arrived at Changi Airport on the same day for their transit flight.
“Their pre-departure tests in South Africa on November 27 were negative for Covid-19,” it said in its daily update on Covid-19 late last night.
MoH said most of the travellers had remained in the transit area at Changi Airport until their departure for Sydney on November 28, and did not enter Singapore or visit other areas in Changi Airport.
“Seven disembarked. Six are currently on a 10-day Stay-Home Notice at a dedicated facility and will be PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-tested. One was a close contact of an infected individual on the flight and has been quarantined,” said the ministry.
Contact tracing is ongoing for airport staff who may have come into transient contact with the cases, MoH said. – Bernama, November 30, 2021
