First death from Omicron in Brazil confirmed

Local authorities in Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás state in central Brazil, reported Thursday (Jan. 6) what they described as the first death linked to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Until Thursday, Brazil’s Health Ministry had counted 265 cases of the Omicron variant and 580 possible positive diagnoses under investigation, and no fatalities.

The victim was a 68-year-old man with comorbidities, chronic lung disease, and high blood pressure. He had been vaccinated with three doses of the inoculation against COVID-19. The confirmation was made possible thanks to the genome sequencing program in Aparecida de Goiânia.

Thus far, the city of Aparecida de Goiânia has identified 55 cases of Omicron in the city. According to the authorities, the variant now accounts for 93.5 percent of cases.

The first cases of the variant were registered on December 12. The city stated that Omicron reached community transmission levels in the municipality ten days ago.

“We’ve lost a vaccinated patient, who had chronic health issues, which are important risk factors for COVID-19. Unfortunately, he did not resist. A life lost among the thousands saved by immunization,” said the city’s Health Secretary Alessandro Magalhães.