Moscow [Russia], December 13 (ANI/Sputnik): The Omicron strain of the coronavirus could eventually replace the Delta variant, as it is already happening in South Africa, Alexander Gintsburg, the director of Russia's Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, told Sputnik.
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], December 13 (ANI/Xinhua): Malaysia reported 3,490 new COVID-19 infections as of midnight Sunday, bringing the national total to 2,691,639, according to the health ministry.
Geneva [Switzerland], December 13 (ANI): As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the new Omicron coronavirus strain found in 63 countries will surpass Delta in spreading speed.
Tehran [Iran], December 12 (ANI/Xinhua): The Iranian Health Ministry reported on Sunday 2,289 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's total infections to 61,54,813.
Manila [Philippines], December 12 (ANI/Xinhua): The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 402 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total tally to 2,836,592.
Chandigarh [India], December 12 (ANI): Chandigarh reported its first case of Omicron after swab samples of a fully vaccinated 20-year-old male passenger from Italy, who had tested COVID-19 positive on December 1, revealed the presence of the new variant of the novel coronavirus.
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 12 (ANI): Pakistan has reported seven more deaths during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 28,720, local media reported on Sunday.
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], December 12 (ANI/Xinhua): Malaysia has reported 4,626 new COVID-19 infections and 31 more deaths as of midnight Saturday, the health ministry said.
Ankara [Turkey], December 12 (ANI/Xinhua): Turkey has reported 19,255 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising its tally of infections to 9,022,223, according to its health ministry.