The Australian government on Friday confirmed its first community transmission case of the new omicron variant of Covid-19. The infected person is a school student from Sydney who had no recent international travel history.
The authorities of New South Wales state said that it is a matter of concern as the variant has now started spreading in the community.
While talking to the media, NSW health minister Brad Hazzard said that the state is not planning to change its plans about reopening the economy as the country will have to continue its work in all perspectives. He said that transmission is always a concern but the government needs to keep it in perspective.
The minister had also that that we don’t know how many more variant of Covid-19 will come. “There is no need of lockdown but to follow the guidelines issued by the government”, he was quoted saying to media.
This came as a relief for people because when a more virulent Delta variant of the Covid-19 had started emerging in Australia, the government had announced a complete lockdown, which had lasted for more than four months.
So far, Australia has confirmed nine cases of the Omicron variant, eight of which were reported from NSW, the most populated state of the country. Even though other states have started putting restrictions on domestic and international travel, the federal government said that they are not yet planning to put NSW into another lockdown.
The omicron variant of the coronavirus, which was first detected in South Africa, is considered highly infectious and capable of sustaining frequent mutations and has already been declared as the ‘variant of concern’ by World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Australian government has already postponed reopening of its international borders for the skilled workers and students, by at least two weeks for now, in wake of Omicron spread.
