Two coronavirus cases have been confirmed among migrants at the Polish-Belarusian border, Governor of the Belarusian Grodno Region, Vladimir Karanik, said.
"We have identified one clinically significant case, in a refugee who is now undergoing inpatient treatment. We are very pleased that there is a positive treatment dynamic. There is also one asymptomatic case. We have not observed any outbreak or spread of the disease," Karanik told the Belarusian All-National Television on Sunday.
He did not specify whether the two cases are of the new Omicron strain or some other coronavirus variant.
According to the regional governor, migrants can get vaccinated against COVID-19 at the transport and logistics centre at their camp, but they don't really need the shots since most of them are already vaccinated.
Several thousand migrants trying to reach the European Union have found themselves stranded at the border between Poland and Belarus in the last few weeks. The Polish authorities have boosted the country's border security, brought in the military and are trying to prevent illegal crossings into its territory while accusing Minsk of instigating the current crisis. Belarus, for its part, has rejected all accusations, claiming that Poland is expelling migrants by force.
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the new South African strain, Omicron, as one of concern, since it may be more transmissible and dangerous. Cases of the new variant have already been confirmed in multiple countries and governments rushed to suspend travel with southern African nations in order to prevent the spread of the new strain. (ANI/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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