As the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated B.1.1529 as a ‘variant of concern’, countries around the world scrambled to tackle this new threat. The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, first detected in Botswana, has prompted several countries to impose a travel ban on travellers from South Africa.

The new coronavirus variant has so far been detected in Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong. Samples of B.1.1.529 variant have also been confirmed in Belgium and Israel.