Colombo, Dec 31 (IANS): Amidst severe warnings by health experts and medical practitioners, Sri Lanka on Friday reported 41 news cases of Covid's Omicron variant taking its tally to 45.

In a Twitter message, Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, Director of the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura announced that his laboratory had identified 41 new cases of the fast spreading variant of Covid-19.

The double figure cases of highly infectious Covid 19 variant were reported since the first case of Omicron was detected from an unvaccinated Sri Lankan female who had returned from Nigeria on December 3.

Dr Jeewandara also has urged people to get the booster vaccine to fight against Omicron variant.

According to the latest figures Sri Lanka has vaccinated nearly 63 percent of its population and has given 3.7 million booster vaccinations to its citizens with Pfizer vaccine.

The South Asian island nation has recorded nearly 587,000 cases of Covid-19 infections while 14,979 deaths were reported as of Friday, December 31.