The announcement of the discovery of a new variant Thursday, following an outbreak of Covid-19 cases in Europe in recent weeks, puts health authorities on alert in many countries.
Omicron variant: the first cases multiply in Europe
The first positive cases for the new variant of the coronavirus Omicron multiplied on Saturday in Europe, where concern is pushing travel restrictions as the world continues to isolate southern Africa.
After Belgium, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, the Czech Republic has announced a first case on a Covid-19 patient hospitalized with mild symptoms in Liberec (north).
Read alsoCovid-19: can closing the borders stop the Omicron variant?
In Amsterdam, about sixty passengers, disembarked Friday from Johannesburg and Cape Town, were still in quarantine near the airport.
"
The Omicron variant was probably found among those tested,
" said the National Institute of Public Health (RIVM), pending final results expected Sunday.
Israel closes its borders to foreign nationals
Israel will ban foreign nationals from entering its territory from Sunday evening in the hope of slowing the spread of the new variant of the Omicron coronavirus, a case of which has been confirmed in the country, authorities said.
"The entry of foreign nationals into Israel is prohibited except for cases approved by a special committee
,
"
the prime minister's office said in a statement, adding that the measure came into effect on Sunday evening.
LiveCovid-19: Israel closes borders to foreign nationals to slow Omicron variant
Vaccinated Israeli citizens will be required to take a PCR test and self-quarantine for three days, a measure extended to seven days for those unvaccinated, the statement said.
These decisions were taken at the end of a meeting of the cabinet in charge of the fight against the coronavirus, and come to put a stop to the reopening of the borders, on November 1, to vaccinated foreign tourists.
Washington hails
South Africa's "
transparency
" after discovery of new variant
The United States praised South Africa on Saturday for its "
transparency
" with the rest of the world upon the discovery of the Omicron variant, as the country says it feels "
punished
" and unfairly treated, as many borders close to its nationals.
During a telephone conversation between the chief US diplomat Tony Blinken and his counterpart South African Naledi Pandor, "
Secretary of State Blinken praised the South African scientists for the rapid identification of variant Omicron
" says State Department in a statement.
France: isolation for contact cases of people infected with the Omicron variant, even vaccinated
Anyone "in contact" with a patient who tests positive for the new Omicron variant will have to be isolated even if they are vaccinated, the health ministry said on Saturday.
Currently in France, where no confirmed case of this variant has yet been announced, a person with a contact case of someone infected with the coronavirus must isolate themselves for seven days only if they are not vaccinated or if their vaccination schedule is incomplete, and / or immunocompromised, according to Health Insurance.
PCR test and isolation to enter the UK
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday to tighten entry measures in his country in order to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, two cases of which have already been detected in the United Kingdom.
"
We will ask anyone entering the UK to take a PCR test
" two days after arriving "
and self-isolate until they have the result,
" he said.
France: rush on vaccination appointments
Three million Covid-19 vaccination appointments have been made since the announcement Thursday of the extension of the recall campaign to the entire adult population, the government said on Saturday.
In the country, the booster dose is open to all adults in the country as of this Saturday.
Nearly 20,000 anti-health pass protesters in France
A total of 19,700 people demonstrated on Saturday in France against the health pass, for the 20th consecutive weekend of mobilization, according to the results of the Ministry of the Interior, including more than 3,500 in Paris.
The ministry recorded 155 actions across the country, against 158 actions and 23,000 demonstrators last Saturday.
Portugal: ubiquitous and shortened match between Benfica and Belenenses, decimated by the Covid-19
With fourteen players absent due to Covid-19, the Portuguese club Belenenses was forced to field a team composed of only nine footballers to face the eleven of Benfica on Saturday in the league, a match of "
shame
" finally interrupted just after half-time.
Read alsoPortugal: football parody between Belenenses, decimated by the Covid-19 and who finished at six, and Benfica
“
It was a shame to play here tonight,
” said Rui Pedro Soares, president of Belenenses, after paying tribute to the dignity of “
players who were forced to play
” on Saturday evening at a conference Press.
Over five million dead
The pandemic has killed at least five million people worldwide since the end of 2019. The United States is the most bereaved country, with 776,517 deaths, ahead of Brazil (613,957), India (467,468), Mexico (293,449) ) and Russia (270,292).
The WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic in the world could be two to three times higher than that calculated from official figures.