Egyptian news presenter says he has omicron variant while on air

An Egyptian journalist and news presenter announced live on air that he was sick with the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Youssef El-Husseiny, who is being criticized for endangering his colleagues, made the announcement while presenting the “Nine O’Clock” program on Egypt’s Channel One, The New Arab reported. “I am exhausted and ill and my condition is terrible,” he said, adding that he showed up to work because the program was commemorating prominent Egyptian journalist and talk-show host Wael el-Ebrashy, who died due to COVID-19 complications earlier this month. Critics called him “irresponsible” and “careless” and called upon him to apologize. He later retracted the announcement, saying that he just had a “bad case of the common cold.”