Turkey detects six cases of Omicron variant

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said that six cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been detected in Turkey.

Duvar English - Reuters

The first six cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in Turkey, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Dec. 11. 

Five of the cases were in the western province of İzmir and one in the largest city of Istanbul, he said. 

"These six cases didn't have to be treated at a hospital. The symptoms were very light. They were treated as outpatients and did not have any problems," he was cited as saying.

Two weeks ago, Turkey closed its borders to passengers from South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe as a measure against the new coronavirus variant.

The number of new coronavirus cases in Turkey on Dec. 11 amounted to 19,255, with a daily death toll of 191. The daily case numbers have fallen from a level of around 30,000 in October.