Nations ban travellers from southern Africa, a day after health officials named the new Covid-19 strain.
The new Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on 24 November.More suspected cases were reported in Germany and the Czech Republic on Saturday.
A top UK health official warned that vaccines would "almost certainly" be less effective against the new variant. Meanwhile, US infectious disease chief Dr Anthony Fauci said that while the reports on the new variant threw up a "red flag", it was possible that vaccines might still work to prevent serious illness.The WHO has warned against countries hastily imposing travel restrictions, saying they should look to a "risk-based and scientific approach".
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