Omicron scare: Thailand reports first case of new Covid variant

Thailandhas detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in a U.S. citizen who had travelled to the country from Spain late last month, a health official said on Monday.

"We believe that we've detected the first confirmed case of Omicron variant inThailand. The person travelled from Spain," Director-General of Medical Science Department at the Public Health Ministry, Supakit Sirilak, told a news conference.

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The confirmed case in the man, who had arrived on November29, makesThailandthe 47th country to have found the new variant, an official said, adding that the patient had mild symptom.

Thailandreported 4,000 new coronavirus cases and 22 new deaths on Monday, taking the tally to more than 2.1 million cases and 20,966 deaths since the pandemic started last year.