7th close contact of Omicron variant carrier negative for COVID-19

A vial and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed stock graph and words “Omicron SARS-CoV-2” in this illustration taken, November 27, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/file photo

MANILA, Philippines —  The seventh close contact of the Nigerian national with the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus has tested negative for COVID-19 during his quarantine upon arrival in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Thursday night.

“All seven contacts are negative. Last passenger of the seven [was] located and [his] test [was] verified as negative,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters in a Viber message.

The DOH earlier said that the 37-year-old Nigerian national who arrived from Nigeria on November 30 via Oman Air flight number WY 843 had seven close contacts in the plane. Earlier in the day, the health department confirmed that six of them had negative test results released between December 2 and 3 while the test result of the seventh contact was still being verified.

READ: DOH: 7 of 8 close contacts of Omicron cases negative for COVID

The Nigerian national was among the first two Omicron variant cases in the Philippines. The other case was a 48-year-old returning Filipino who arrived from Japan on December 1. The DOH said he only had one close contact when he flew business class on Philippine Airlines flight PR 0427.

Vergeire, meanwhile, assured that all co-passengers of the two travelers were quarantined upon arrival in the country and that only those who tested negative for the virus were released from isolation.

KGA