One of the two cases of the Omicron variant found in Hong Kong on Friday was that of a passenger from Canada. With the emergence of this disturbing new variant around the world, countries are intensifying border sanctions.
In Hong Kong, a South African passenger tested positive for the B1.1.529 variant of the Omicron, Reuters reported on Friday. Another passenger who came to him from Canada was also tested positive while detained in a hotel room opposite the South African passenger. According to a Hong Kong health official, the use of a mask with a valve on the side of a passenger coming from Africa could spread the virus to someone in the next room.
DR Theresa Tom, Canada’s chief public health officer, said the federal government was in contact with Hong Kong authorities about the situation, CTV News reported. Friday. “This guy has a good chance of catching him somewhere else [qu’au Canada], But you can never say, dR Tom at the press conference. We would like to follow up to see if there is any need to travel to Canada for a specific traveler.
Identities and limitations
After Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, Hong Kong and Italy, the Czech Republic on Saturday announced the first case of an Omicron variant of a female traveler returning from Namibia, according to the agency France-Hurri.
On the Dutch side, sixty passengers from Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa were detained on Saturday. “The omicron variant was probably found in those tested,” said the National Institutes of Public Health in the country. The final results are due to be announced on Sunday.
Since Friday, Canada has banned travelers from entering South Africa. The target countries are South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Ishwati (Swaziland) and Namibia. The United States has added Malawi to its list.
Many countries have imposed restrictions on their borders. For the first time that flights from South Africa have been discontinued, the British government has announced that it is tightening entry rules for those coming from all sources: mandatory isolation until the PCR test and result, and the return of the mandatory mask in all stores in parallel.
Switzerland has announced that individuals from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Egypt and Malawi will be required to take the COVID-19 test upon boarding and entering Switzerland. According to the agency France-Press, the negative and will be kept in quarantine for 10 days. It has already happened since Friday evening to people in many countries in South Africa, Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong.
Anyone tested positive for the new variant should be isolated even if someone else has been “contacted” vaccinated, as part of which the French Ministry of Health announced on Saturday evening.
According to Reuters, Israel announced on Saturday that it was closing its borders to foreign travelers for two weeks in a bid to prevent the spread of the new variant. The citizens of Israel must go into the quarantine.
With the France-Press Agency
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