Travel Bans, Research: World Races To Contain New Covid Variant 'Omicron'

The WHO said it could take several weeks to understand the variant, which was initially known as B.1.1.529.

Several European nations on Saturday announced their first cases of a highly infectious new coronavirus strain, as governments worldwide began pulling down the shutters to contain the new Omicron variant.

Britain, Germany and Italy confirmed their first cases of the new Covid-19 strain, while Dutch authorities quarantined 61 passengers from South Africa who tested positive for Covid-19.

South Africa complained it was being punished with air travel bans for having first detected the strain, which the World Health Organization has termed a "variant of concern".

A series of countries across the world began restricting travel from the region, to try to head off any threat to global efforts against the pandemic.