Global NewsCOVID-19: WHO Renames New Variant ‘Omicron’ As Canada Bans Flights From South...

COVID-19: WHO Renames New Variant ‘Omicron’ As Canada Bans Flights From South Africa

November 27, (THEWILL) – The World Health Organisation (WHO) has renamed the recently-discovered B.1.1.529 strain of COVID-19 “Omicron”.

“Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in Covid-19 epidemiology… the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern, named OMICRON,” the WHO said in a statement.

As measures against the Omicron variant, European Union (EU) officials at an emergency meeting on Friday, urged all 27 nations in the bloc to restrict travel from seven countries in the South Africa region.

“Member States agreed to introduce rapid restrictions on all travel into the EU from seven countries in the Southern Africa region: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe,” European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer disclosed.

The measure was only a recommendation to suspend flights from those African nations.

Many EU member states had already gone ahead with flight suspensions from some or all of the seven African countries. Others are expected to follow suit over coming days.

An EU official told newsmen that the diplomats and officials meeting in Brussels under the EU’s Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) mechanism opted to emphasise “restrictions” over travel suspensions.

That is because EU citizens and residents are allowed to return to their home countries — though will likely face PCR tests and quarantine on arrival.

Non-EU citizens and residents would be barred from travelling into the EU under the agreed recommendation.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government has announced that it will limit travel to South Africa and its neighbouring countries, who have reported cases of the new COVID-19 variant.

“As of November 26, all foreign nationals who have travelled through the seven affected countries in the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter Canada.

“The affected nations include South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique.

“Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be allowed to return home, but they will have to fly home indirectly, passing through a third country where they will also need to take a molecular COVID-19 test,” the authority said as measures against the new Omicron.

According to Canada’s health minister, Jean-Yves Duclos, people already in Canada who travelled to the region over the past two weeks should get a COVID-19 test and stay in isolation until they receive a negative test result.

Transport Minister, Omar Alghabra, said the new measures will be in effect until at least Jan. 31, 2022.

“Today we are banning entry for foreign nationals that have travelled to Southern Africa in the last 14 days. We will also make testing mandatory on all Canadians entering Canada and having travelled to Southern Africa in the last 14 days,” Alghabra said.

The transport minister encouraged Canadians who are unable to get home due to the restrictions to contact the emergency watch centre.

So far, the Omicron variant has been detected in South Africa, Botswana, Israel, Belgium, and Hong Kong. It has not been found in Canada, according to Chief Public Health Officer, Theresa Tam.

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