Singapore confirms two Omicron COVID-19 cases

Singapore confirmed on Monday two imported cases with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said in a press release.

The two Singaporeans had tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant on December 2. The National Public Health Laboratory has completed whole-genome sequencing for the cases, and has confirmed that they are infected with the Omicron variant.

Both infected people are fully vaccinated, and have mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat. They were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on December 1, said the ministry.

One case is a 44-year-old man who arrived from Mozambique, transiting through Johannesburg. The other case is a 41-year-old woman who arrived from South Africa.

Singapore reported 662 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Of the new cases, 638 were found in the community, 13 in migrant worker dormitories and 11 were imported cases, the health ministry said.

A total of 850 COVID-19 cases are currently hospitalized in the Southeast Asian country.

Four more COVID-19 patients aged between 81 and 97 have died from complications due to the coronavirus infection, raising the coronavirus-related death toll to 763, the ministry said.

(ANI/Xinhua)