TEHRAN – To date, no cases of the new coronavirus strain, which is prevalent in South Africa, have been reported in the country, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi announced on Tuesday.

First identified in South Africa on November 24, Omicron mutant has been designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Alireza Zali, head of the coronavirus control working group in Tehran said that Omicron has been reported to have 50 mutations, 30 of which are key and highly contagious, which is why it has attracted global attention.

There are no direct flights from Iran to South Africa and travelers are not allowed to enter Iran. It will take time to learn more about Omicron to determine the biological behavior and response to vaccine and immunity of this strain, there is still no evidence to confirm the observation of this strain in the country and basic preventive measures should be taken to control and monitor borders and airports, he explained.

The sixth wave of the pandemic has not hit the country yet if people follow the health procedures, he stated, IRNA reported.

Preventive measures to deal with the new strain must be taken strictly in the country, and adherence to health practices is necessary, he concluded.

On November 27, the health ministry has said it has adopted new regulations to prevent the new variant.

There are no direct flights from Iran to South Africa and travelers are not allowed to enter Iran, Iranians who want to travel must also be quarantined at the border to have two negative PCR tests.

Foreign tourists must buy coronavirus insurance from authorized companies when entering the country, and if they suffer from the pandemic in Iran, they will be provided with a place and treatment for 14 days.

Inbound passengers must have coronavirus insurance, which differs from the routine insurance coverage purchased by all tourists before the coronavirus era.

FB/MG