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. The AP noted that roughly 60 percent of Iran’s population is fully vaccinated and 3.5 million people have received a booster shot.
Despite the emergence of the newest variant of concern in the country, infections, hospitalizations and deaths have remained relatively low in Iran for the past few weeks.
Iran has so far confirmed over 6 million coronavirus cases and more than 130,000 related deaths. The country currently has the worst death rate in the Middle East region, with over 150 deaths per 100,000 people.
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.
However, Iranian health officials warned that there could be severe consequences if the protocols that are in place are not observed. 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.