Three more cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected in Bangladesh, taking the total tally to 33 till Wednesday, according to GISAID, the global database for genomic data on the coronavirus.
These three were detected with Omicron at the Genome Centre of Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST).
Among the new cases, two of the patients are Indian nationals — a man aged 30 and a woman aged 41 — while another is Bangladeshi man, 25, hailing from Kushtia, confirmed Jashore Civil Surgeon Dr Biplob Kanti.
Civil Surgeon Dr Biplob said the Indian citizens came to visit Bangladesh and tested Omicron positive while leaving the country following a Covid test at the immigration of Benapole port.
Later, the data of the three people detected with Omicron has been submitted to the GISAID database, said JUST Vice-Chancellor (VC) Md Anwar Hossain.
Earlier, nine more Omicron cases were detected in the country on Monday.
On December 11, Bangladesh reported its first two cases of the Omicron variant in two members of the Bangladesh women cricket team.
They had returned from Zimbabwe after taking part in the ICC Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The event was, however, called off midway due to the surge of Omicron.
The GISAID findings were based on the data submitted by the Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi) in Dhaka.
Working in partnership with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research and icddr,b, the infectious diseases laboratory at ideSHi has begun processing Covid-19 test samples from patients across Bangladesh.
Source: United News of Bangladesh