Ten more cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been detected in Bangladesh, taking the total tally to 20 till Friday, according to GISAID, the global database for genomic data on the coronavirus.

On December 11, Bangladesh reported its first two cases of the Omicron variant in two members of the Bangladesh women cricket team.

They had returned from Zimbabwe after taking part in the ICC Women's World Cup qualifiers. The event was, however, called off midway due to the surge of Omicron.

The GISAID findings were based on the data submitted by the Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi) in Dhaka.

Working in partnership with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research and icddr,b, the infectious diseases laboratory at ideSHi has begun processing Covid-19 test samples from patients across Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is currently seeing a surge of Covid-19 cases as health authorities logged 4,920 infections in the last seven days till Thursday morning.

The country reported seven more deaths and 1,140 fresh cases in 24 hours till Thursday morning, said the directorate.

On January 2, the directorate said that women are more vulnerable to the newly emerged Covid-19 variant Omicron across the globe than men.

Research data collected from countries like South Africa where the new variant has spread is showing this trend, DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin had said at a briefing on Covid-19.

“Data found in South Africa where the variant was detected first is showing a different trend -- women, children and youths are being infected more."