The United Kingdom’s (UK) Health Security Agency confirmed that it had detected cases linked to the new COVID-19 variant in Chelmsford, Essex, and Nottingham in the UK.
South Africa reported the new Omicron variant to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, November 24. According to the UK’s Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javi the two UK cases were linked to travel to the parts of southern Africa.
Javi two people have been self-isolating alongside their households while more tests and contact tracing takes place, BBC reports.
Also read: These are the countries that have placed travel restrictions on SA
Countries around the world have also introduced travel bans and restrictions on southern African countries in an effort to contain the spread of the new variant. The new variant has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.
In the meantime, the Republic of Mauritius will suspend all flights from the listed countries with effect from Monday, November 29 till Friday, December 31. The decision comes after several governments announced a new COVID-19 variant.
Also read:
These are the countries that have placed travel restrictions on SA
Picture: Cape{town}etc gallery
