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Reports: Italy, Germany report cases of omicron COVID-19 variant

Cases of the mutated new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa have been confirmed in Italy and Germany, according to reports.

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According to The Associated Press, both countries reported confirmed cases of the omicron COVID-19 variant.

The Italian news agency LaPresse reported that an Italian who traveled to Mozambique tested positive for the variant, according to the AP. The traveler landed in Rome on Nov. 11 and returned to his family in Naples. Five family members, including two children, also tested positive, according to the AP.

The variant was confirmed by Sacco hospital in Milan, according to the AP. Italy’s National Health Institute said the man had received two doses of the vaccine.

>> Coronavirus: UK health secretary says 2 cases of omicron identified, linked

In Germany, the Max von Pettenkofer Institute, a Munich-based microbiology center, said that the omicron variant was confirmed in two travelers who arrived on a flight from South Africa on Wednesday, the AP reported.

The two people entered Germany at Munich airport before the country designated South Africa as a virus-variant area, Reuters reported. They were isolating, the news agency reported. German officials did not directly state that the passengers had returned to the country from a southern African country.

The news came hours after the United Kingdom’s health secretary, Sajid Javid, said that two cases of omicron had been confirmed in the country.

Javid said one case of the omicron variant was discovered in Chelmsford and the other was found in Nottingham, ITV reported. Javid said both cases were linked, and there was a connection to the travelers from southern Africa.

Czech health authorities said they were examining a suspected case of the variant in a person who spent time in Namibia, according to Reuters.

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