The first two cases of the Omicron variant of Latin America are identified in Brazil

Brazil confirmed on Tuesday the first two infections by the omicron variant of the coronavirus in a couple from Sao Paulo who were in South Africa and who represent the first two cases in the country and Latin America, official sources reported. The two cases, referring to a 41-year-old man and his wife, 37, were confirmed after covid-19 tests and subsequent genetic sequencing by the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, one of the reference medical centers in Latin America, as explained by the Ministry of Health of the state of Sao Paulo.La couple landed in the South American country, came from South Africa on November 23 and was subjected to new tests two days later, when both were diagnosed with the disease and the infection with the new variant was confirmed.” Given the positive diagnosis, the couple was directed to remain in home isolation. Both are under monitoring by “the regional and municipal health authorities” of Sao Paulo, along with their respective relatives,” the secretariat said. The São Paulo authorities reported that they are also investigating a third possible case of the omicron variant in the state, referring to a man who resides in the city of Guarulhos and who disembarked last week from Ethiopia.Also, at least two other Brazilian states are investigating suspected cases of the new variant, which has set off global alerts in recent days. Amid global fears about the spread of ómicron, Brazil announced the closure of its air borders with a dozen African countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). With some 213 million inhabitants, Brazil is, next to the United States and India, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic in the world and, so far, accumulates almost 615,000 deaths and 22 million infected by covid-19.

Original source in Spanish