Dutch to announce findings on Omicron cases among S. African travelers Reuters
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© Reuters. People are at a counter at the XL Schiphol test site, after Dutch health authorities said 61 people who arrived in Amsterdam on flights to South Africa tested positive for COVID-19 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on November 27, 2021. REUTERS / Eva Pl
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AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch health authorities were expected to report on Sunday afternoon how many cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant were found in the Netherlands after 61 people who flew from South Africa tested positive for coronavirus.
The Dutch Institute of Health (RIVM) said on Saturday that it believes there is at least a new variant in some of the positive cases found among some 600 passengers tested on arrival on two flights in South Africa on Friday.
A RIVM spokesman said on Saturday he was “almost certain” that he had identified cases of the new variant, but that more tests were needed, and the institute will not say how many until he is sure. A spokesman said Sunday that the findings would be released in the afternoon.
The Omicron discovery, which was declared a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization last week, has sparked concern around vaccines around the world and prolonging the nearly two-year COVID-19 pandemic. Cases have now been found in at least nine countries.
The Dutch investigation began with the study of 624 passengers who arrived at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on two flights on Friday, before the Dutch government changed its rules for air traffic in southern Africa due to concerns about the variant. https://www.reuters.com/world/how-worried-should-we-be-about-omicron-variant-2021-11-27
The 61 passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 are being kept isolated in a hotel near the airport.
Dutch health authorities want to contact and test 5,000 other passengers who have traveled from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabwe since Monday.
Concerns about the variant come as many European countries are facing an increase in coronavirus cases.
In the Netherlands, rules governing the closure of most bars, restaurants and shops at 5pm will come into force on Sunday, in an attempt to break the record for COVID-19 cases that are overtaking the health system.
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