20 December, 2025, 7:55 pm Central - 23°C Clouds

First Australian cases of Omicron COVID-19 strain confirmed in Sydney travellers from southern Africa

First Australian cases of Omicron COVID-19 strain confirmed in Sydney travellers from southern Africa

By Vijay Narayan
28/11/2021
Photo: abc.net.au

NSW Health has confirmed two returned travellers have tested positive for the new Omicron COVID-19 variant in Sydney.

ABC News reports both people, who are fully vaccinated, arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on Saturday, November 27th.

They are among 14 people who arrived on Qatar Airways QR908, Doha to Sydney.

The remaining 12 passengers from southern Africa are undertaking 14 days of hotel quarantine, also in Special Health Accommodation.

NSW Health says about 260 passengers and aircrew who were also on the flight are considered close contacts and have been directed to isolate.

Meanwhile Fiji’s borders open to international visitors from this Wednesday.

Majority of the visitors are expected to come from Australia.

It was earlier confirmed that 30,000 people were booked on flights to Fiji in December while another 40,000 people are booked to come in January.

Meanwhile Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong is expected to issue a further statement later after a full analysis of the cases detected of the new COVID-19 variant of concern, Omicron in different parts of the world.

Fijivillage has asked for clarification on the measures to ensure we do not have cases when people come in from this Wednesday, stay at the hotel for 3 days but move to travel safe areas.

We have also asked what would be the travel safe areas and how will people be transported and monitored.

Fijivillage News has also asked whether it would be safe for international visitors to leave the hotel premises during those 3 days and what measures are in place.

We have also asked whether all this will change after assessments following the emergence of Omicron cases in different parts of the world.

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