ERBIL — More than 40 new cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 were detected on Wednesday in Kurdistan Region's Sulaimaniya province, a local official confirmed.

Speaking to reporters, Sabah Hawrami, head of Sulaimaniya General Health Directorate, said that 42 Omicron infections were registered in the province within the previous 24 hours.

He further called on the citizens to adhere to the preventive measures as this Omicron variant, as he said, can spread quickly throughout the region.

The first cases of Omicron were detected last week in Duhok. Authorities said a citizen returning from abroad had spread the virus among family members.

Kurdistan Region Health Minister Saman Barzanji said last Tuesday that the KRG has so far administered a total of 2,049,565 vaccines of different approved types of vaccines and the campaign is ongoing.

He further explained that 1,170,380 people have received the first shot while 872,660 others are fully vaccinated.