Omicron infections surge to 35 in Palestinian territories

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The tally of the COVID omicron variant in the Palestinian territories has surged to 35, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Monday.

In a statement, ministry spokesman Kamal Al-Shakhra said one case of the virus was detected in the Gaza Strip.

He said the majority of those who tested positive for virus had come from outside the Palestinian territories.

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

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

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar