The Philippines and Cambodia Report First Omicron Cases

The Philippines has reported its first two omicron cases in which an overseas Filipino worker who arrived from Japan on December 1 and a Nigerian national who arrived on November 30 were tested positive.

Both are currently asymptomatic, but the Filipino displayed symptoms of a cold and cough upon arrival, according to the authorities.

The omicron variant was discovered in Cambodia for the first time in a local who had travelled from Ghana. The 23-year-old had returned from Ghana via Dubai and Bangkok, according to a health ministry statement issued on Tuesday.

The Department of Health in the Philippines is now tracing those who were in close contact with the two during their respective flights, as well as verifying the test results and health status of all passengers, to see if there are any other confirmed cases.

Aside from the two Omicron detections, there were 33 Delta variant cases and 13 others with no assigned lineage.