Dozens of people are feared to have been infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant after going to a work Christmas party.

Norwegian media reported that staff at Scatec, a solar energy company, attended the event in Oslo on November 26.

Since then, 50 people have returned positive PCR tests for coronavirus, while another 10 have tested positive on a lateral flow and would be followed up to check.

Reports said the company also has an office in South Africa, and some of those attending had recently returned from there.

Assistant chief infection control doctor in Frogner District, Tine Ravlo, said that a preliminary screening showed ‘a high probability’ of Omicron.

She said samples have been sent for sequencing which will confirm if it was the new variant.

Jorunn Thaulow, the district’s responsible infection control doctor, told Avisa Oslo: ‘We have not received it definitively confirmed, but there are very strong indications that it is Omicron in this outbreak.’

He said this was because analysis had ruled out those involved being infected with the Delta variant.

Norwegian media reported that all those who attended were required to be vaccinated and show a negative test for Covid-19.

They said those who tested positive after attending had now been asked to quarantine, along with their closest contacts (such as household members).

There would now be widespread tracking of anyone else they might have been in contact with.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.

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