Papua New Guinea reports first Omicron cases, amid fears over low vaccination rate

A health worker prepares to do tests for coronavirus outside a makeshift clinic in a sports stadium in Port Moresby. Authorities have announced their first case of the Omicron variant. Photograph: Gorethy Kenneth/AFP/Getty Images

Local authorities in Papua New Guinea are calling for calm, after the country announced its first case of the Omicron variant.

Authorities announced on Tuesday the case was a man who came to Papua New Guinea in December from South Africa, after travelling through London and Hong Kong. He initially tested negative with no symptoms upon arrival in the country.