**Hong Kong has detected its first locally transmitted case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, prompting authorities to quarantine more than 70 students and close several schools.**
The case was detected in a 36-year-old man who had no recent travel history, the city’s health department said in a statement on Sunday. The man is a teacher at two schools in the Tuen Mun district, and he has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
More than 70 students who had close contact with the man have been placed under quarantine, and the two schools have been closed for cleaning and disinfection.
The Omicron variant is a highly transmissible strain of COVID-19 that was first identified in South Africa. It has since spread to several other countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
The detection of the Omicron variant in Hong Kong is a cause for concern, as it could lead to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the city. Hong Kong has been relatively successful in containing the spread of COVID-19, but the Omicron variant is a more challenging strain to control.
The Hong Kong government has urged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to follow social distancing measures, such as wearing masks and washing hands frequently.
**Here are some of the key details of the case:**
* The man is a 36-year-old teacher who works at two schools in the Tuen Mun district..
* He has no recent travel history..
* He is fully vaccinated against COVID-19..
* He developed symptoms of COVID-19 on December 24, and he was tested positive for the virus on December 26..
* He is currently in stable condition in hospital..
* More than 70 students who had close contact with the man have been placed under quarantine..
* The two schools where the man works have been closed for cleaning and disinfection.
**The Hong Kong government is urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to follow social distancing measures, such as wearing masks and washing hands frequently.**.
