Jordan detects its first two cases of omicron variant

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The Jordanian health ministry says it has identified its first two cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus. The statement was announced by state-run Petra news agency, identifying the first case as a Jordanian national who recently returned from South Africa and another as a national who has not recently left the country — raising fears that the variant may be spreading among Jordanian communities. In response to Thursday’s announcement, the Kingdom says it is introducing new PCR test requirements for arrivals. Jordan has effectively barred the entry of non-Jordanian nationals arriving from southern Africa, where the highly mutated strain of the virus was first detected in late November.