The Omnicron variant causes confusion by setting travel limits: Coronavirus pandemic News
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A new variant of coronavirus has prompted several countries to impose restrictions, such as travel bans, and others have renewed blockades. Omicron voltage.
The new restrictions come after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a new variant.worrying”.
The Omicron variant, which scientists say has a large number of mutations, was first detected last week in South Africa and has spread rapidly to Gauteng province, home to Johannesburg’s economic center and the capital, Pretoria.
So far it has been detected in at least four other countries.
Also known as B.1.1.529, mutations can help the virus prevent the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible. according to scientists.
It may take weeks for current vaccines to find out if they are effective against it.
In response to the discovery of the variant, the United States, Canada, Russia and many other countries joined the European Union to restrict travel to visitors from various countries in southern Africa.
Here are the latest updates:
Japan has tightened border controls in three other African countries
Japan will tighten border controls on the nations of southern Africa in Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, and will demand a 10-day quarantine for those involved, the Foreign Ministry said.
The new rules will take effect from midnight (15:00 GMT on Saturday) and Japan will tighten border controls for those coming from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho and come in a day.
Passengers in South Africa are positive in the Netherlands for COVID-19
Dutch health authorities said 61 people who arrived in Amsterdam on two flights from South Africa on Friday tested positive for COVID-19, and were undergoing further tests early Saturday to see if there was any infection with the Omicron variant.
“Passengers with a positive test result will be placed in isolation at a hotel in or near Schiphol,” health authorities said in a statement.
“From the positive results of the test, we are investigating as soon as possible whether they are a new variant of the concern, now called ‘Omicron’.”
The Dutch government banned all air travel from southern Africa on Friday morning.
Sri Lanka bans travelers from six African nations
Sri Lanka said on Saturday it had banned passengers from six southern African countries out of concern over the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
As of Monday, no passengers will be allowed to enter the country from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini, Colombo said in a statement.
Travelers arriving from these six countries in the last two days will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine.
Thailand has banned entry from eight African countries
Thailand said it would ban the entry of people traveling from eight African countries designated as high risk for the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Starting in December, travel to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe will be banned, health chief Opas Karnkawinpong said at a news conference.
Thailand will not allow travelers from those countries to register to travel to Thailand starting Saturday, he said.
“We have informed the airlines and these countries,” Opas said, adding that travelers from other African countries will not be able to use the country’s quarantine-free travel scheme for vaccinated travelers.
South African scientists are facing a wave driven by Omicron
The numbers in South Africa are still relatively low, with 2,828 new cases confirmed on Friday, but the speed with which Omicron is infecting young South Africans has worried health professionals.
“We are seeing a significant change in the demographic profile of patients with COVID-19,” Dr. Rudo Mathivha, head of the intensive care unit at Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, said at an online press conference.
“Young people, in their 20s and over 30s, have moderate or severe illness, some need intensive care. About 65 per cent are not vaccinated and most of the rest are half-vaccinated,” Mathivha said.
He said urgent preparations are needed to enable the public hospitals to cope with the plethora of patients in need of intensive care.
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