The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a new coronavirus variant to be ‘of concern’ and named it Omicron. It had a large number of mutations, and early evidence suggested an increased reinfection risk, the WHO said.
It was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on Nov 24, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.
A number of countries have now decided to ban or restrict travel to and from southern Africa. Travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini will not be able to enter the UK unless they are UK or Irish nationals, or UK residents.
US officials said flights from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi would be blocked, mirroring earlier moves taken by the. It will come into effect on Monday.
EU countries and Switzerland have also temporarily halted flights to and from some southern African countries.
It is not uncommon for a virus to change, or mutate, over time. A virus variant becomes a variant of concern when that mutation might affect things like transmissibility, virulence or the effectiveness of vaccines.
(Compiled)
