Two suspected Omicron cases found in the Channel Islands

Two suspected cases of the Omicron variant have now been identified in Guernsey. They will be confirmed when full sequencing has been completed.

The second suspect case comes from the first case reported yesterday (9 December).

Health officials have said they are confident that the spread of the variant has been "well contained" as the second individual has been in isolation since being identified as a direct contact.

The original suspected case was a locally-based individual, who had not travelled outside the Common Travel Area, but is thought to have been in contact with someone who had tested positive for the variant in the UK.

They had been advised that they may have been in contact with a patient who was a positive Omicron case in the UK, and they immediately contacted Guernsey’s Public Health Services who carried out a rapid PCR test, sequencing and contact tracing.

A small number of close contacts have been identified and are now isolating and undergoing PCR tests.

With only a single case of Omicron identified in the Bailiwick, the Civil Contingencies Authority says there is no immediate change in the requirements for Islanders.

The mandatory use of face coverings in certain settings remains in force, alongside the strong recommendations to regularly carry out Lateral Flow Testing.

Islanders are also urged to stay at home if experiencing any symptoms and to report those symptoms to the clinical helpline – even if they receive a negative LFT result.