World News | First Community Cases of Omicron Coronavirus Strain Detected in Vietnam

Hanoi [Vietnam], January 19 (ANI/Sputnik): Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City has identified the country's first cases of the Omicron coronavirus strain in people who have not traveled abroad, media reported.

According to the Vietnamese VnExpress news outlet, three COVID-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City were confirmed on Tuesday to be infected with the Omicron variant.

Also Read | Omicron Causing Hospitalisations And Deaths Worldwide, Says WHO on Impact of New COVID-19 Variant.

Local authorities are currently testing people who have had close contacts with those infected, the media said.

According to VnExpress, a total of 73 cases of the Omicron strain were reported in the country, 70 of those infected people arrived from abroad.

Also Read | France Reports Record 4,64,769 New COVID-19 Cases in Single Day.

The first case of the Omicron infection was detected in Vietnam in late December last year.

The Omicron strain was first detected in South Africa in late November. The strain contains more mutations in the spike protein -- 32 -- than all previous variants, meaning that it could hamper the body's immune response and spread more easily. (ANI/Sputnik)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)