Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 23 Apr 2022, 04:46 am Print
Image: Pixabay NewZealand
Wellington: New Zealand reported its first case of Omicron XE variant at the border, said the Ministry of Health in a statement on Saturday.
A person who has traveled from overseas to New Zealand has been confirmed as having the XE variant of Omicron, said the ministry.
This is the first known detection of the Omicron XE variant in New Zealand, it said.
According to the ministry, the person, who is currently isolating at home, arrived in New Zealand on April 19 and was tested on April 20.
The whole-genome sequencing subsequently confirmed the XE variant.
"XE has been spreading overseas, and its arrival in New Zealand is not unexpected," said the ministry.
(With UNI/Xinhua inputs)
- Could bamboo be the superfood you’ve been missing? New study reveals shocking benefits
- Plastic is quietly making the world sicker — And it could double by 2040
- Global safety at risk? WHO slams US withdrawal
- From founding member to exit: Why the US decided to officially quit WHO
- What ADHD at age 10 could mean for your health at 46, warns study

