Nine more cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been detected in Bangladesh, taking the total tally to 30 till Monday, according to GISAID, the global database for genomic data on the coronavirus.

As stated by the GISAID website, the new patients infected with Omicron include six females and three males.

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.