The Free State Department of Health "is alarmed by the rapid rise" of Covid-19 cases in the province.

It says cases have increased in the Mangaung, Lejweleputswa, Fezile Dabi, Thabo Mofutsanyana and Xhariep municipalities.

"The rapid rise in numbers precedes the projected fourth wave of infections, with Omicron emerging as a new variant of concern that is understood to be spreading faster than the previous variants," department spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said.

The province has recorded 173 348 cases, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

On Monday, the province recorded 647 new cases - 5% of all the cases in the country. The provincial health department previously raised its concern about travellers transmitting the new variant in the province.

The Free State is connected to five national key roads and borders six other provinces.

"All users of these roads pass through the Free State and may bring infections to the Free State or acquire infections from the Free State to their provinces," Mondli Mvambi previously told News24.

To date, 1 564 126 vaccines have been administered in the Free State, with 993 025 people having received at least one dose of the vaccine.

"Healthcare workers, the working population, professionals and every member of the community have been warned by provincial health authorities to take all the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 through adherence to established non-pharmaceutical interventions and taking the vaccine," Mvambi said.