“The test at the airport was positive and, as part of the travelers’ protocol, the sample was sent for the genomic sequencing process to the ISP to determine the variant, which turned out to be Ómicron,” said the Valparaíso Health Department through a release.
The health authority confirmed that a “foreigner residing in Chile” entered the country with a negative entrance examination, as established by the Protected Frontiers plan. However, upon arrival, another PCR test was performed at the Santiago Airport that tested positive.
According to the Ministry’s dependent secretariat, it is an African person residing in Chile and from Ghana, who landed in Chile on November 25, the same day that the World Health Organization reported the first case of Ómicron in the world.
A close contact has been identified, whose epidemiological investigation is underway, being referred to a health residence with his family to carry out the corresponding isolation.
The passengers who came on the flight with him underwent epidemiological monitoring and coordination with the different seremis of the country is taking PCR tests to all passengers on the plane close to the case.
The Seremi de Salud de Valparaíso instructed the conduct of an active search for cases in the Province of San Felipe.
It was specified that the infected person has two doses of the Pfizer vaccine against covid-19 and that “he is in good health and fulfilling his isolation”; first at home, then to be taken to a nursing home.
? IMPORTANT: Seremi de Salud Región de Valparaíso press release for the first case of the Ómicron variant in Chile.
?????? pic.twitter.com/MEhEpo7o4F– Seremi de Salud Valparaíso Region (@SaludSsrv) December 4, 2021
