As Omicron variant cases spread, countries rush to impose travel bans

R&I – FS

A number of European countries have reported their first cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, as governments in the region race to understand the scale of its spread.

The UK has identified nine cases so far, with six of those reported in Scotland on Monday.

The Netherlands and Portugal have each discovered 13 infections — with all of Portugal’s cases being found among one Lisbon-based football team. The 13 Dutch cases were found after passengers arriving from South Africa were tested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport on Friday.

Germany has found three cases, while Italy, the Czech Republic and Belgium each have at least one. On Monday, Austria joined the list of nations declaring its first identified case.

The true number of Omicron cases across the continent is likely to be far higher, with sequencing being undertaken to identify which new infections have been caused by the new strain.