Mainland China Confirms First Case of Omicron Coronavirus Variant, Reports Say

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in Mainland China, CCTV reported on Monday.

Health authorities in the northern city of Tianjin reported the case, according to CCTV.

The Omicron strain, which originated in South Africa, was designated a "Variant of Concern" by the World Health Organisation. Its spread has prompted lockdowns and the tightening of anti-pandemic measures across the globe. The strain contains more mutations of the spike protein (32) than all previous variants, which raises concerns about its possibly high transmissibility.