Russia and Pakistan have imposed a travel ban on Hong Kong and six African countries as the European Union health agency warns that the new Covid-19 Omicron variant poses a high risk to Europe.
Hong Kong - the only place in Asia that has confirmed Omicron cases in two recent arrivals - in turn listed South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe as high-risk countries and subject to tough 21-day quarantine - seven days at Penny's Bay and the rest at a designated hotel - and tests.
Pakistan's National Command and Operation Centre said travelers from Hong Kong and six African countries - South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Botswana - will be banned with immediate effect due to the threat of the new variant.
But the center said Pakistani passengers traveling from these countries with extreme emergency will still be allowed to return to Islamabad after obtaining exemptions.
Russia also banned travelers from Hong Kong and African countries with dozens of cases to prevent Omicron from spreading into the country.
The European Union has also introduced temporary restrictions on all travelers from southern Africa, EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said.
The EU said the travel ban may be extended to other places where the new variant has been detected, including Hong Kong and Israel.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said the new mutant strain is the most divergent variant since the pandemic started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
It raised concerns that it may be more transmissible, making vaccines less effective and increasing risk of reinfections.
The move followed bans on travelers from southern Africa by the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, although the American ban will only take effect from today.
Hong Kong - the only place in Asia that has confirmed Omicron cases in two recent arrivals - in turn listed South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe as high-risk countries and subject to tough 21-day quarantine - seven days at Penny's Bay and the rest at a designated hotel - and tests.
Pakistan's National Command and Operation Centre said travelers from Hong Kong and six African countries - South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Botswana - will be banned with immediate effect due to the threat of the new variant.
But the center said Pakistani passengers traveling from these countries with extreme emergency will still be allowed to return to Islamabad after obtaining exemptions.
Russia also banned travelers from Hong Kong and African countries with dozens of cases to prevent Omicron from spreading into the country.
The European Union has also introduced temporary restrictions on all travelers from southern Africa, EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said.
The EU said the travel ban may be extended to other places where the new variant has been detected, including Hong Kong and Israel.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said the new mutant strain is the most divergent variant since the pandemic started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
It raised concerns that it may be more transmissible, making vaccines less effective and increasing risk of reinfections.
The move followed bans on travelers from southern Africa by the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, although the American ban will only take effect from today.
