TUNIS 

Tunisia has reported its first case of the omicron coronavirus variant, health minister announced on Friday.

Speaking on state television, Ali Mrabet said a 23-year-old passenger travelling from the Democratic Republic of Congo was diagnosed with the variant.

He further noted the person in question was placed in quarantine at a location dedicated for the COVID-19 patients.

According to the official data, over 25,320 people in Tunisia have so far lost their lives due to COVID-19, whereas the tally of cases in the country neared 718,000.

The country has a population of some 12 million and more than 4 million of them have received two vaccine doses.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas