Omicron variant detected in Saskatchewan; province reports four cases

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health is reporting the first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the province.

The ministry says four people from the same household have tested positive for the variant.

The province says the four recently travelled from one of the 10 countries of concern identified by the federal government.

It says the positive tests will undergo whole genome sequencing to confirm the Omicron variant is involved.

The four people and their close contacts have all been identified and are isolating.

The ministry says the risk of community transmission remains low.

The African countries under federal government restrictions include Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2021.