Iran's state television reported on Sunday that the first case of the omicron variant has been detected in the country, according to The Associated Press. This news comes soon after Iran began to accelerate the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Al Jazeera reported that officials are also monitoring two other potential cases of omicron. The news service noted that new restrictions are unlikely, as Iran has largely avoided them throughout the pandemic. The country's national anti-coronavirus task force also called for schools and restaurants to be shut down immediately to stem the spread of the omicron variant.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 19, 2021 14:55 UTC