Bangladesh on Saturday confirmed its first cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, found in the samples of two women cricketers.
Two players of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team, who was tested positive for Covid-19 upon their return from Zimbabwe, have been confirmed to be infected with Omicron.
Speaking to the media after an event in Dhaka, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said, "Both the cricketers are now in institutional quarantine."
When asked about the situation of the other squad members, Maleque said: "Everyone who came into their contact has been tested. All of the results have come back negative."
Bangladesh women's cricket team went to Zimbabwe to participate in the Women's World Cup Qualifier. But the trip was cut short as the organizers announced that the World Cup was being postponed, as concerns over the spread of Omicron led to several African countries facing travel restrictions from the rest of the world.
The Omicron, also known as B.1.1.529 variant, dubbed a "variant of concern" last week by the World Health Organization, has pushed many countries to revert the relaxed restrictions to their previous state of stern travel curbs.
The Bangladesh government recently made 14 days of institutional quarantine mandatory for those returning from Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Omicron variant has so far been reported in 57 nations and the number of patients needing hospitalization is likely to rise as it spreads.
Two players of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team, who was tested positive for Covid-19 upon their return from Zimbabwe, have been confirmed to be infected with Omicron.
Speaking to the media after an event in Dhaka, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said, "Both the cricketers are now in institutional quarantine."
When asked about the situation of the other squad members, Maleque said: "Everyone who came into their contact has been tested. All of the results have come back negative."
Bangladesh women's cricket team went to Zimbabwe to participate in the Women's World Cup Qualifier. But the trip was cut short as the organizers announced that the World Cup was being postponed, as concerns over the spread of Omicron led to several African countries facing travel restrictions from the rest of the world.
The Omicron, also known as B.1.1.529 variant, dubbed a "variant of concern" last week by the World Health Organization, has pushed many countries to revert the relaxed restrictions to their previous state of stern travel curbs.
The Bangladesh government recently made 14 days of institutional quarantine mandatory for those returning from Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Omicron variant has so far been reported in 57 nations and the number of patients needing hospitalization is likely to rise as it spreads.
