These would be the first cases reported in South America.
Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) announced that samples from two Brazilian citizens had positive results for the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. He clarified that this is a preliminary result, so they were sent for a confirmatory analysis by the Adolfo Lutz Institute.
In a statement, the entity explained that on November 23 a patient arrived from South Africa with a negative RT-PCR result and that to make the return trip he went to a laboratory two days later in the company of his wife to undergo a test. RT-PCR that tested positive for COVID-19.
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Given the results, the Albert Einstein laboratory did the genetic sequencing of the samples and on November 30 reported that this variant was identified.
“According to national protocols, the material must be sent to the Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL) in order to confirm genetic sequencing. The Agency also informed the Ministry of Health and the Secretariats of Health of the State and Municipality of São Paulo about the health event identified for the adoption of the pertinent public health measures, ”the statement added.
On November 27, Brazil restricted access to nationals of ten African countries. If confirmed, these would be the first two cases recorded in South America.
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Within the continent, only Canada had reported the first cases. The positives were registered after testing two people from Nigeria and it is suspected that two other residents in the town of Hamilton, about 60 kilometers southwest of Toronto, are also infected with the viral by-product.
Last Friday, Canada had prohibited entry from South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini, but Nigeria is located in the center-west, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea.
In addition to Brazil, countries such as Chile, Cuba, Peru, Argentina and Ecuador have imposed restrictions on travelers from various countries in Africa. (I)
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