The new potentially more contagious Covid-19 variant, which was first identified in South Africa, has ow popped up in several other countries, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the transmission. Besides, several countries have also banned travellers from South Africa and its neighbouring nations because of the threat of Omicron, the new coronavirus variant.
The World Health Organization has listed Omicron as a ‘variant of concern’ and said it could take several weeks to know if there are significant changes in transmissibility, severity or implications for Covid vaccines, tests, and treatments.
Here’s a list of countries reported new Covid-19 variant:
1. the Netherlands
The Dutch health authorities have said that they have detected 61 Covid-19 cases among people who flew from South Africa on Friday and believe at least some infections are of the new omicron variant.
2. Germany
The omicron variant was confirmed in two travelers who arrived on a flight from South Africa on November 24. The genome sequencing has yet to be completed, but it is “proven without a doubt that it is this variant,” German news agency dpa reported.
3. Australia
The Australian health department has detected the Covid Omicron strain in two passengers in Sydney. Both passengers came from southern Africa and arrived in Australia on a Qatar Airways flight via Doha.
Another 12 passengers from southern Africa on the same flight did not test positive for Covid but had been placed in quarantine.
4. Italy
The Italian news agency LaPresse says an Italian who traveled to Mozambique has tested positive for the omicron variant. Five family members, including two school-age children, have also tested positive.
5. Britain
The United Kingdom has detected two cases of the Omicron variant. British health minister Sajid Javid said that the two linked cases of the new variant detected in Britain were connected to travel to southern Africa.
6. Canada
Canada on Monday confirmed country’s first two cases of omicron COVID-19 variant among two people who had recently visited Nigeria.
7. Hong Kong
After South Africa, Hog Kong became the second country to report two cases on Omicron strain.
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8. Botswana
The country has reported one case of the new coronavirus variant so far
9. Belgium
Belgium has also detected one case of the new Omicron variant yesterday. So far, India has not reported any case of Omicron variant. Yesterday, two south African nationals were tested positive in Karnataka. However, it turned out that they were infected from Delta variant, instead of the new Omicron strain.
10. Switzerland
The first probable case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Switzerland on Monday. The case relates to a person who returned to Switzerland from South Africa around a week ago, the Federal Office for Public Health said on Twitter. Testing will clarify the situation in the coming days, it added.
11. Israel
The country has imposed a series of emergency measures after identifying a case of the new Covid-19 variant on November 26. The health ministry said the new strain that was first detected by South Africa known as B.1.1.529 — was discovered in a person who had arrived from Malawi.
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