Australia has announced that it has diagnosed
two infections of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus on passengers from South Africa
.
Israel has decided to completely close its borders
to prevent the arrival of people infected with the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus, after yesterday announcing the interruption of flights from abroad, we learn from official sources.
Japan adds three other African countries to the list of nations for which the quarantine obligation began on Saturday
, after the discovery of the new variant of Covid-19, originated in South Africa. The countries are Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, and are added to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe, as well as South Africa itself. "The government responds urgently to the risk of the virus spreading, and we will do everything in our power to better control the borders," said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Travelers from the nine countries will be subjected to a 10-day period of quarantine in facilities set up by the health authorities, during which three swabs will be performed: on the third and sixth day and at the end of isolation.
"The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus causes
a mild disease with no major symptoms
," said Angelique Coetzee, president of the South African Physicians' Association, in various media reports.