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City of Beijing reports first local Omicron case

15 January 2022 19:14 (UTC +04:00)

The Chinese capital Beijing on Saturday reported its first locally transmitted infection of the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant, according to state media, just weeks ahead of its staging of the Olympic Winter Games, APA reports citing Reuters.

State television reported on Saturday that the new infection had been identified as the Omicron strain.

Lab testing found "mutations specific to the Omicron variant" in the person, Pang Xinghuo, an official at the city's disease control authority, told a news briefing.

Officials have sealed up the infected person's residential compound and workplace, and collected 2,430 samples for testing from people linked to the two locations, a Haidian district official said.

The detection of the Omicron variant Beijing came as cities across the country ratchet up viral vigilance ahead of the Winter Olympics, due to start Feb. 4.