German state reports four fully vaccinated people infected with Omicron

sign requesting visitors to wear face masks is seen at a Christmas market as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Berlin, Germany, November 30, 2021.

Four people in southern Germany have tested positive for the Omicron COVID-19 variant even though they were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the public health office in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said.

Three of the infected people returned from a business trip to South Africa on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 respectively, and the fourth person is a family member of one of the returnees, the state public health office said on Tuesday.

"All four people are fully vaccinated. A mutation analysis carried out by the State Health Office has confirmed that all of them are infected with the new variant of concern," the office said in a statement, adding that all four were in quarantine.

All four showed moderate symptoms.

Source: Reuters / Writing by Paul Carrel, editing by Kirsti Knolle