Several European nations announced their first cases of a new coronavirus strain as governments worldwide pulled down the shutters to contain the new Omicron variant.
Within hours of South Africa announcing the discovery of the Omicron variant, travel bans were implemented by a number of countries. Experts say the country is being punished for excellent scientific work. The SA Medical Association is slamming the global panic as 'hasty' and 'not thought through'. SAMA's Angelique Coetzee first raised the alarm about the new variant.
Scientists are racing to determine the threat posed by the heavily mutated strain, particularly whether it can evade existing vaccines. It has already proved to be more transmissible than the dominant Delta variant.AFP | Thibaud MORITZThe virus has already slipped through the net, with cases discovered in Europe, Hong Kong and Israel and in southern Arica.
In the US, a White House official said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the Omicron situation and that health officials were monitoring events.
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