Health Minister Issues Caution as New COVID Strain Detected Across Australia

A new branch of the COVID-19 Omicron virus has been detected across Australia after originating in China.

Staff at CSL are seen working in the lab in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 8, 2020. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

A new branch of the COVID-19 Omicron variant has been detected in several Australian states, driving an increase in diagnoses of the disease.

The discovery has prompted Health Minister Mark Butler to call for Australians to take up the COVID-19 vaccine or boosters, while saying there was no evidence the variant would need to be handled any differently to those before it.