MEXICO, Mexico --Mexico on Friday announced its first case of the coronavirus Omicron variant, in a traveller from South Africa, but the government said it was not considering border closures as a counter-measure.
The variant was detected in a 51-year-old from South Africa with mild symptoms, under-secretary of health Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez said on Twitter.
An epidemiologist by training, Lopez-Gatell Ramirez said closing borders and blocking the movement of people and goods "are not useful measures for containing variants." Vaccination was key to reducing Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths, he said.
"We call on you to remain calm and to continue taking measures to prevent infections" such as mask-wearing, social distancing and regular hand-washing, Lopez-Gatell Ramirez tweeted.
Mexico, with some 128 million people, has reported more than 294,000 coronavirus deaths -- the world's fourth highest number -- and 3.9 million cases.
On Wednesday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said about 86 percent of Mexicans older than 18 have been vaccinated, nearly all with two doses.