Omicron | Coronavirus: countries that have closed their borders because of the new variant of covid-19 | South Africa | WORLD

The new variant of coronavirus, named omicron and potentially more contagious, it continues to spread around the world after its epicenter in southern Africa was reported and with a new border closure increasingly widespread, a worrying situation but facing the President of the United States , Joe Biden, asked not to “panic”.

SEEN: Ómicron: What do we know about the new ‘worrying variant’ of the coronavirus?

BORDERS CLOSED AND BIDEN ASKS NOT TO ENTER “IN PANIC”

After Israel, which was the first country in the world to impose a strict border closure to protect itself from omicron, of which there are already two confirmed cases in the country, many countries have joined in the decision to apply criteria restrictive access. , especially for travelers from southern Africa.

US President Joe Biden said today that the omicron variant “is cause for concern, but not panic”, for which he assured that experts do not consider that “additional measures” are necessary in the country.

In a White House intervention accompanied by chief US government epidemiologist Antony Fauci, Biden noted that the United States is “better off” than Christmas last year, and urged citizens to find the booster dose of available vaccines. in the country, although he acknowledged that it is “almost inevitable” that “at some point” the new variant reaches the United States.

To date, the United States has imposed restrictions on travelers from South Africa and seven other countries in southern Africa.

SEEN: micron: Japan announces the closure of its borders to foreign visitors due to the new variant of the coronavirus

CANADA ANNOUNCES TWO OMICRON CASES, TO BE FIRST IN AMERICA

Canada today announced the detection of two confirmed cases of the omicron variant in its territory, which would be the first two reported in America.

The health authorities of the Canadian province of Ontario reported Monday at a press conference that these two cases, detected in Ottawa, are two individuals who arrived in the country from Nigeria.

In addition, two other people in the city of Hamilton, about 60 kilometers southwest of Toronto, are suspected of being infected with the omicron variant.

Canada on Friday banned foreigners from seven southern African countries from entering the country, not including Nigeria.

The countries affected by the decision are South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.

SEEN: South Africa’s annoyance at “unwarranted” international reaction to new variant of coronavirus detected in country

WHICH WARNS OF A “VERY HIGH” RISK OF OMICRON

The overall risk posed by the new variant of omicron is “very high”, the World Health Organization (WHO) in a technical report on this new strain of SARS-CoV-2.

Given the strong mutations of omicron, with the potential to be more resistant to vaccination and more contagious, the risk of transmission of the variant globally is “high,” the document said.

Faced with these risks, the WHO calls on its member states to take certain priority actions, including “the acceleration of vaccination, especially among the population at risk who remains unvaccinated”.

SEEN: Portugal detects its first 13 cases of the new omicron variant among Belenenses footballers

G7 CALLS TO ACCELERATE IMMUNIZATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

G7 health ministers today stressed the importance of promoting vaccination programs against covid-19 in developing countries, especially after the appearance of the omicron variant.

SEEN: micron: The G7 warns that the new variant is “highly transmissible” and requires “urgent measures”

In an emergency meeting called by the UK Presidency, representatives of the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan, as well as European Union (EU), agreed on the “strategic relevance” of the extension of immunization.

The developed country group addressed the need to improve the capacity of the poorest to receive millions of vaccines and to implement large-scale immunization programs, for which they need “operational assistance”.

The G7, which at the June leaders’ summit pledged to donate one billion vaccines, today reiterated its willingness to “move forward” towards fulfilling this commitment.

CHINA WILL FACILITATE BILLIONS OF DOSES IN AFRICA

Chinese President Xi Jinping today said his country will provide Africa with one billion doses of vaccine to fight COVID-19 on the continent.

SEEN: Chinese President promises 1 billion doses of coronavirus vaccine for Africa

Xi made the announcement during the telematic opening of the eighth ministerial conference of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which aims to strengthen relations between the two sides and which is being held in Dakar until Tuesday.

“To contribute to the achievement of the objective set by the African Union of vaccinating 60% of the African population against covid-19 by 2022, I am announcing here that China will provide Africa with one billion additional doses of vaccines “said the Chinese president, who clarified that this offer involves “600 million in the form of donations and 400 million in other forms, such as the co-production between Chinese companies and the African countries concerned”.

In addition, “China will carry out ten health projects for African countries and send 1,500 medical professionals and public health experts,” said Xi, whose country says it has provided around 200 million doses to date. to fifty African Union countries.

THE UN CONCERNED BY THE “ISOLATION” OF SOUTH AFRICA

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said today he was “deeply concerned about the isolation of southern African countries” in the face of new travel restrictions imposed by the emergence of the omicron variant.

With his message, Guterres evokes the cancellation, in recent days, of flights from southern Africa announced by a large number of countries.

Guterres once again criticized the uneven distribution of vaccines around the world, and in particular the low level of vaccinations on the African continent, a “breeding ground” of the covid-19 virus, he said.

“African nations cannot take responsibility for the immoral level of vaccines available in Africa, nor should they be penalized for identifying and sharing critical scientific and health information to the world,” Guterres said in reference to the report. early warning issued by the Government of South Africa upon detection of the new variant of the virus.

FIRST CASE DETECTED IN SPAIN WHERE INCIDENCE IS INCREASING

Spain today reported the first case of the omicron variant, detected by the microbiology department at Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid.

SEEN: micron: Spain confirms the first case of the new variant of the coronavirus in a traveler from South Africa

This service, on its Twitter account, indicates that it is a traveler from South Africa, who according to the regional government of Madrid is 51 years old and returned on November 28 with mild symptoms.

The patient, who is in isolation while in quarantine, returned from South Africa last Sunday with a stopover in Amsterdam.

The incidence of the coronavirus continues to increase in Spain, as the covid passport requirement spreads into everyday life.

The incidence reached 199 cases per 100,000 population in the last fourteen days, after a weekend in which 22,911 new infections were reported, a high figure in the country, which since last August has not exceeded 20 000 in a week, according to official data. released today.

This figure would have placed Spain at high risk of contagion according to the indicators that the country applied until a few days ago, which have been modified to give more relevance to others such as hospital pressure.

_______________________________

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

IT MAY INTEREST YOU