Several nations ban travel to and from South African countries

New Delhi: Several countries in the world have banned travel from African countries in the wake of the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus, Omicron, first detected in South Africa,

Pakistan has placed a complete ban on travel from seven countries.A notification issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said travel had been restricted from six southern African countries, namely South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia, as well as Hong Kong.

, Bangladesh Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Zahid Maleque said the Bangladeshi government is aware of the emergence of the new variant in South Africa. “We’ve decided to suspend travel from South Africa with immediate effect,” the Minister added.

He said this new variant, named Omicron, is extremely aggressive, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Minister, the Bangladeshi government is also strengthening screening procedures at all ports.

Kuwait also decided on Saturday to suspend direct flights with nine African countries over the new Covid-19 variant Omicron.

Kuwait will suspend direct commercial flights with South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia, and Malawi, except for cargo planes, Kuwait’s Center for Government Communication said.

Kuwaiti citizens coming from those countries will be in quarantine for seven days starting from November 28, and they will be required to do a PCR test on arrival and another on the sixth day of arrival, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, non-Kuwaitis coming from those countries, whether they come directly or through other countries, will be barred from entry unless they stay in a third country for at least 14 days.

Kuwait’s government called on citizens to avoid travelling to those countries at present, except in case of necessity.

Israel has also issued a ban on its citizens travelling to 50 African countries to prevent the spread of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, the Israeli Health Ministry said in a statement.

On Thursday, Israel labeled seven African countries as “red countries,” banning travel to them, and now added 43 more countries on the continent to the list.

An attempt of an Israeli to travel to one of the 50 countries will result in a fine of 5,000 shekels ($1,569), the Ministry noted.

All Israelis returning from the 50 countries, including vaccinated and recovered ones, must enter quarantine for at least seven days.

Also, foreign nationals are not allowed to travel from the 50 countries to Israel, except in humanitarian cases with the approval of a special governmental committee, Xinhua news agency reported.

So far, one case of Omicron has been detected in Israel, as a traveller who returned from Malawi was tested positive for the new variant.

In addition, there are seven suspected cases, for which the results of tests have not yet been received, according to the Ministry.

The Egyptian government too suspended direct flights with a number of southern African countries due to concerns over the new Covid-19 variant Omicron.

The decision was made late on Friday after a meeting of the ministerial crisis management committee headed by Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, according to a cabinet statement.

The direct flight suspension includes South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini, the cabinet spokesman Nader Saad said in the statement. IANS