Minister: Omicron Variant 'Likely' Arrived in Germany

A German state minister said Saturday the potentially highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19 "very likely already arrived" in Germany.

Kai Klose, the state minister for social affairs and integration, wrote on Twitter that a traveler returning from South Africa was found to be infected with "several mutations typical of omicron."

Klose added that the health authorities had a "high level of suspicion" that the passenger had contracted the omicron variant.

https://twitter.com/StM_Klose/status/1464515033371709445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1464515033371709445%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Fcovid-omicron-variant-likely-already-in-germany-says-minister%2Fa-59954998

Moreover, Klose affirmed that full sequencing is underway and that the person has been quarantined.

"If you have returned from southern Africa in the last week, limit your contacts and get tested," he warned his followers.

He gave no further details on the passenger or which airport the infected person had arrived at.

However, his ministry later confirmed that the infected person entered the country via Frankfurt airport, which is located in Hesse.

Meantime, neighboring Belgium has already recorded one case of omicron in an unvaccinated person returning from abroad.