Officials in Thailand say an Israeli tourist who was the subject of a nationwide police manhunt after breaking out of quarantine while apparently infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detained on a southern resort island, reports AP.

The 29-year-old man will be charged with breaking quarantine regulations and then deported and banned from Thailand for life following his release from hospital detention, authorities said.

Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said that the tourist allegedly left quarantine at a Bangkok hotel on December 7 before his coronavirus test result was completed. It eventually showed he was infected with the Omicron variant.

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