Palestine reports 5 new cases of omicron variant

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestine recorded five new cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus on Saturday, according to the Health Ministry.

In a statement, Kamal Al-Shakhra, ministry spokesman, said the new infections were reported in the occupied West Bank.

He said the new cases take the total tally of omicron variant in the Palestinian territories to 23 infections.

Palestinian health authorities reported the first three cases of the new variant on Dec. 23.

The World Health Organization on Friday warned that the omicron variant was spreading significantly faster than the delta strain.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar