S. KOREA REPORTS FIRST OMICRON CASES

[Anchor Lead]

Authorities have confirmed that cases of the Omicron variant have been found in Korea. Five people, including a couple in their 40s who had returned from Nigeria, tested positive for the Omicron variant.

[Pkg]

South Korea’s first five cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed. A couple in their 40s living in Incheon, their friend A in his 30s, and two female arrivals in their 50s who tested positive for COVID-19 were confirmed to have contracted the Omicron variant. The couple’s teenage son and A’s three family members are also infected with COVID-19. They’re very likely to have contracted the Omicron variant. Their test results are being analyzed. If they’re confirmed to have been infected with that variant, the total number of Omicron cases in Korea will rise to nine. The teen’s test result is to be released on Thursday, while those for three others are expected to be out on December 4th at the earliest. The couple returned to South Korea from Nigeria on November 24th. They tested positive for COVID-19 one day later, infecting their son and three family members of their friend A who gave them a ride home from the airport. Two females in their 50s were infected with the new variant after arriving in Korea on November 23rd.

[Soundbite] Sohn Young-rae(Central Disasters Management HQs) : "The existing vaccines may be less effective against Omicron and the new variant may spread more quickly and could be more infectious than Delta."

Authorities are testing those who came in close contact with them and tracing their past movements. The couple were fully vaccinated and were allowed freedom of movement before the test results were in. With A’s family and overseas arrivals having been infected, authorities are expanding contact-tracing and epidemiological investigation efforts as the new variant seems to be spreading. The government announced for two weeks, all travelers entering the nation will have to be isolated for ten days regardless of vaccination history. Also, variant tests will be conducted on everyone who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Korea from abroad. Nigeria will be named a high-risk, no vaccine pass country. Direct flights between South Korea and Ethiopia will be suspended for two weeks.