LIMA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) — Peru confirmed the first four cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Minister of Health Hernando Cevallos announced on Sunday.

Cevallos said that one of the patients was a woman who had journeyed from South Africa while another was a Peruvian healthcare worker. He added that all patients are currently in isolation.

“At the moment, all these patients are stable and are, of course, under permanent observation,” said the minister.

The minister added that two people who had been in contact with one of the patients also tested positive for COVID-19, but studies are still being carried out to identify the variant.

Peruvian health authorities are carrying out follow-up measures and contact tracing to search out other potential new cases of the variant.

After confirming the first cases of Omicron, the minister announced he had convened an emergency meeting with ministry experts to evaluate the next steps while urging the population to get vaccinated.

Cevallos said that despite the increase in infections in recent weeks, Peru has not entered a third wave of the pandemic, although he told Peruvians to be vigilant during Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

In Peru, more than 47.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, with the country reporting 2,263,739 cases and 202,154 deaths from the disease so far.

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