Health Minister Hernando Cevallos on Sunday reported that the number of confirmed Omicron coronavirus cases in Peru has risen to 49.
The government official mentioned that said cases have been detected in 17 districts across Metropolitan Lima and Callao province and that one of the infected individuals has traveled to the region of La Libertad.
According to Cevallos, right after it became known that one of the Omicron cases reported in Lima had traveled to the city of Trujillo, the ministry decided to implement epidemiological surveillance measures, as well as a contact tracing, to monitor those who were exposed to the traveler when outside the capital.
"We cannot rule out that other people have been infected, due to the speed at which Omicron spreads," the health sector's head explained.
"We have already implemented epidemiological surveillance measures in La Libertad. In addition, we are in contact with regional authorities to enhance the vaccination drive, strengthen COVID-19 PCR (molecular) testing, and monitor contacts to see if they develop symptoms," he added.
"There is a mobile genomic sequencing laboratory in Piura and Tumbes to detect if this variant enters the country through the border area. We have to be very attentive in order to implement the corresponding epidemiological surveillance measures," Cevallos remarked.
Moreover, the minister reported that 77% of the 49 Omicron cases detected in the country occurred in fully vaccinated people, which means this variant eludes immunity conferred by vaccination.
In this sense, he stressed the need to get two doses of the vaccine, as well as the booster (third) dose, when appropriate, to avoid infection.
(END) LIT/RMB
Published: 12/26/2021