Iraq says has not recorded Omicron variant cases

The hyper-contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in countries neighboring Iraq.

Mustafa Shilani 2021/12/26 21:37

A woman is pictured during receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in the Kurdistan Region's Sulaimani province, July 27, 2021. (Photo: Dana Hama Gharib/Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Health on Sunday said it had not recorded any cases of the coronavirus variant known as Omicron so far.

The statement came from ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr after local media organizations reported health authorities had detected several Omicron infections.

Badr rejected the ministry had found such cases but explained that it would likely appear in Iraq since neighboring countries have recently seen Omicron infections rise.

When Iraqi health authorities record an Omicron infection, he added, the government will formally announce it.

On Sunday, the health ministry recorded 172 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths throughout the country, bringing the total number of infections since the beginning of the outbreak up to 2,092,484, including 24,130 deaths.

The hyper-infectious Omicron strain of the coronavirus is quickly becoming the dominant variant globally, overtaking the already fast-spreading Delta strand.