Turkey reports 1st cases of omicron variant

Turkey reported its first cases of the omicron variant on Saturday. Six cases were identified in Istanbul and western Izmir province, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca confirmed the cases on Saturday during a meeting in parliament. The cases all have mild symptoms and are being cared for on an outpatient basis, he said. It is not known how they were infected with the virus. Turkey closed its borders to visitors two weeks ago from South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.