Taiwan detects local Omicron BA.4 cases, identified as family cluster

TAIPEI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan has detected two local cases infected with the Omicron BA.4 sub-variant, and they have been identified as a family cluster, said the island's disease monitoring agency on Thursday.

The first local Omicron BA.4 case was reported on Monday. So far, two local BA.4 cases and 58 local BA.5 cases had been reported in the island, according to the agency.

Earlier this week, the agency predicted that a new wave of epidemic dominated by the Omicron BA.5 sub-variant may occur in late August, calling on parents to have their children vaccinated as soon as possible.

Taiwan detected imported cases of the Omicron sub-variants in mid-June, and since July it has detected several local cases.

According to the agency on Friday, Taiwan has recorded more than 4.97 million local COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.