Hospitals urged to brace against possible outbreak of Omicron cases following detection of 24 new cases today

KATHMANDU, Jan 7: The government has directed the hospitals across the country to brace against the possible outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 following the detection of 24 new cases of the virus on Friday.

“The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is considered more infectious and communicable than the Delta variant so the outbreak is more likely,’ said an official at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).

Issuing a press statement on Friday, the Health Ministry directed the hospital to make necessary arrangements to withstand the large flow of patients.

The ministry has also urged one and all to adopt proper safety protocols and measures against the COVID-19.

Nepal on Friday confirmed the detection of 24 new cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease. 

According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), samples of 24 people were found to have contracted the Omicron variant during a gene sequencing test carried out at the National Public Health Laboratory in Teku. 

Nepal had first confirmed the infection caused by the variant on December 6.