Four Myanmar citizens returning from Dubai, the UAE, on a relief flight are found to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron, the Ministry of Health reported on the night of December 28.

According to its press release, the ministry is constantly monitoring the new Omicron variant. As such, it sent samples of those who tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from overseas on relief flights to the Medical Research Department, the National Health Laboratory and the Defence Services Medical Research Department as well as regional reference labs of the WHO letting them test with the use of Omicron Real Time PCR and Genomic Sequencing Testing.  

Testing the samples of 30 Covid-19 patients via genomic sequencing started on December 14. Then, according to the results available on December 28, four Myanmar nationals returning from Dubai were found to have been infected with the Omicron variant and 26 others infected with the Delta variant.  

Of the four Omicron-infected patients, only one showed normal symptoms and three others were asymptomatic. They were treated at Covid-19 treatment centers and discharged after they had recovered and completed the prescribed quarantine period. Currently also, they are in good health, the statement said.