Sri Lanka, Dec. 4 -- Sri Lankan Health authorities yesterday confirmed the country's first case of the new Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The Health Ministry said the new COVID-19 variant was identified in a Sri Lankan national who had recently returned from South Africa.

Addressing a media conference held yesterday at the Health Promotion Bureau, Health Services Deputy Director General Dr. Hemantha Herath said that the public need not panic over this, since the health authorities are dealing with the situation.

As a result of our vigilance, we have been able to identify an Omicron patient following gene sequencing lab tests," he said.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Epideomolgist Dr. Samitha Ginige sai...