The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has announced the detection of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in Laos.
Dr. Lattanaxay Phetsouvanh said in a special announcement this evening that the Omicron variant had been confirmed among a passenger arriving on flight AK7552 from Malaysia on Sunday.
The flight contained 42 people who were tested for Covid-19, with two people from the same family testing positive for the coronavirus.
Of the two positive cases, the Omicron variant was detected in a female passenger.
The infected persons had traveled from India, through Sri Lanka, transferring in Malaysia before arriving in Laos.
They had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The individual has been placed in a quarantine location approved by the National Taskforce.
Meanwhile, the quarantine hotel where other passengers from flight AK7552 are staying has been instructed to take strict precautions in order to contain the spread of the variant, ensuring the individuals remain in their rooms at all times.
Hotel personnel will be required to wear PPE suits, face masks, face shields, and gloves, while flight crew, drivers, hotel staff, and any others who had contact with the passengers will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Dr. Lattanaxay said the Ministry of Health will do its utmost to protect society from Covid-19 by accelerating the vaccination program to reach 70% of the population – including booster shots – as soon as possible.
He advised the public not to panic and to take precautions as advised by the Covid Taskforce, while anyone who has had contact with passengers from Flight AK7552 must immediately and strictly self-isolate for 14 days.
