Omicron detected in Europe before it was reported in South Africa: officials

COVID’s spreading new Omicron variant had been in Europe before it was reported by scientists in South Africa, health officials revealed Tuesday.

The variant was detected in two test samples taken Nov. 19 and Nov. 23 in the Netherlands, the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said.

South African scientists first alerted the world to the discovery of Omicron on Nov. 26.

Still, South Africa is the country where it first appeared, based on the most current data: The variant turned up in samples there dated from Nov. 14 to 16.

The RIVM said of the Netherlands’ cases, “It is not clear yet whether these people have visited Southern Africa.”

Dutch authorities had previously announced that at least 14 people on flights from Johannesburg and Capetown to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport Friday tested positive for the new variant.

The World Health Organization said Friday that Omicron was a “variant of concern.”

Omicron is believed to be more transmissible than the original COVID-19 strain, though it’s unclear whether it causes more serious cases compared to other variants.

Among the countries where the variant has been detected are Canada, Britain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Botswana, Israel, Australia and Hong Kong.

With Post wires