- New York state reported five Omicron cases following the detection of the same variant in Colorado, Minnesota and California. 

- Icelandic health authorities confirmed the country's first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, a fully vaccinated male who has no recent international travel history.

- No data shows that the Omicron variant would be more resistant to COVID-19 vaccines, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said. France has so far reported four cases of the new variant.

- Brazil's capital Brasilia confirmed two cases of the Omicron variant, raising the country's total number of Omicron cases to five. 

- Zimbabwe detected the presence of Omicron variant in the country but officials did not disclose details of how many infections had been recorded in the country.

- German health authorities reported the first confirmed case of the new Omicron variant in the capital Berlin, only days after several cases were detected in southern states of Europe's most populous country.

(With input from agencies)