Phnom Penh: The World Health Organization in Cambodia has warned against the possible surge of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. This new variant was first reported to the WHO in South Africa on November 24 and now being discovered in many countries around the world. The WHO has labeled it a ‘variant of concern’ after identifying a large number of mutations. Preliminary evidence also suggests that the variant could be more transmissible and pose increased risk of reinfection.

The WHO in Cambodia has issued a statement regarding the new variant of concern, stating that “there is a high risk that Omicron will be imported and soon found in the Cambodian community in this highly interconnected world”.

The WHO stresses that the Omicron variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are quite concerning, with early evidence suggesting that this particular variant of concern could be more easily transmissible and also pose an increased risk of reinfection.

On a positive note, the WHO stated that PCR diagnostics continue to be effective in detecting the Omicron variant, ensuring that its spread can be efficiently tracked, however they still emphasize the need for caution and vigilance among citizens.

WHO Representative to Cambodia, Dr Li Ailan has stated that “Cambodia should be concerned about the newly detected variant of concern Omicron despite the high Covid-19 vaccination coverage.” She further added that “Everyone should be ready for a possible surge, and we should continue to learn and adjust our response measures.”

In response to the growing global alarm over the new variant, the Cambodian Ministry of Health has said that they do not yet plan to ban entry of flights from certain African or European countries where the Omicron variant has been detected.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Or Vandine has stated that Cambodia has now entered ‘the new normal’, and this must be maintained for the sake of stability. She has added that since the country has just opened up, there are no plans to suddenly close again.

Instead, Or Vandine has stated that more attention will be paid to the entry and movement of people from countries of concern, including conducting Covid-19 tests on arrival and isolating positive cases in treatment centers.