Bogota and Brasilia-Sana
Colombian President Ivan Duque announced that the state of health emergency in the country will be extended until February 28 due to the emergence of the new Omicron strain of the Corona virus in South Africa.
Reuters quoted Duque as saying that the state of health emergency was "extended due to the presence of a global declaration related to the epidemiological situation and also to allow us to continue to take all precautionary measures."
He added that Colombia does not have direct flights with Africa and anyone traveling from the continent to Colombia will have to pass through the United States, Brazil or the European Union, all of which have already imposed restrictions, stressing that "this measure has an additional element of protection for us as well." Colombia indicated that the country has recorded more than five million infections with the Corona virus since the beginning of the pandemic, and more than 128,300 deaths.
In Brazil, Anfisa, which is responsible for regulating the country's health sector, recommended expanding travel restrictions linked to the emergence of the Omicron strain of coronavirus to include Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
The recommendation comes a day after Brazil closed its borders to travelers from South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.