World

Coronavirus: Omicron concerns prompt Japan to ban foreign visitors from entering

TOKYO – Portugal’s health authorities said on Monday they had identified 13 cases of omicron, a novel coronavirus variant believed to be more contagious, among members of a football club profession.

The National Institutes of Health Ricardo Jorge said on Monday that one of the people who tested positive at Lisbon-based football club Belenenses recently traveled to South Africa, where the variant was first identified. omicron.

However, others did not go to South Africa, suggesting that this may be one of the first cases of local transmission of the virus outside southern Africa.

The institute said that people who have been in contact with the positive cases have been asked to isolate, regardless of their immunization status or their susceptibility to infection, and will be regularly tested for COVID-19, the institute said. rescue said.

As cases of a new coronavirus variant are confirmed around the world, Japan on Monday announced that it would suspend the entry of all foreign visitors, joining a growing number of countries that are tighten their borders for fear of spreading another wave of the pandemic.

Japan, which has yet to detect any cases of the recently identified omicron variant, has re-proposed border controls it eased earlier this month for short-term business visitors, foreign students and workers.

However, despite global anxiety, scientists warn that it remains unclear whether omicrons are more dangerous than other versions of the virus that has killed more than 5 million people. Some countries are continuing previous plans to ease restrictions, with signs of reopening in Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand.

“We are taking this step as an urgent precaution to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening in Japan,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said of the measure starting Tuesday. Japan has closed its borders to foreign tourists from all countries.

Kishida urged people to continue wearing masks and pursue other basic anti-virus measures until more details about the new omicron variant are known.

Kishida, whose predecessor lost his job in part out of frustration with his handling of the virus, is not alone in choosing an aggressive approach until details of what omicron can do emerge.

Israel decided to ban entry of foreigners and Morocco said it would suspend all incoming flights for two weeks starting Monday – in one of the most drastic actions taken by nations around the world. imposed increasing travel restrictions as they try to slow the spread of the variant. . Scientists in several places – from Hong Kong to Europe to North America – have confirmed its presence.

On Monday, the Scottish government announced the detection of six new cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, bringing the UK’s total to nine. It has asked public health authorities to implement enhanced contact tracing in all cases. Over the weekend, British health authorities found three cases of this variant.

Others reporting new cases over the weekend were the Netherlands, with 13 confirmed, while Canada found two.

In Malaysia, however, officials have reopened part of the bridge connecting it with the island nation-Singapore city. And New Zealand announced it would continue with its internal reopening plan after months of shutdown, while restricting travel from African countries.

The World Health Organization, noting that this variant has been detected in many countries and that border closures often have limited effect, has called for borders to remain open.

Researchers in South Africa identified this variant a few days ago, and much about it remains unclear, including whether it is more contagious, more likely to cause serious illness, or not. more likely to evade vaccine protection.

Health officials in Australia’s Northern Territory announced that the state confirmed its first case of omicrons on Monday, a South African man who flew into Darwin last Thursday. Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said the prime minister was convening the National Security Committee to review actions that could be taken on the omicron.

In New South Wales, Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Monday there could be a third omicron case in his state. Health authorities there announced on Sunday that two travelers returning from South Africa had tested positive. They are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated. Guests arriving from nine African countries are now required to isolate in hotels upon arrival.

New Zealand has restricted travel from nine South African countries in response to the threat from omicrons, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she did not anticipate any further restrictions.

And omicron has not changed New Zealand’s plans to ease restrictions in Auckland and move the country into a new, more open phase of its pandemic response, Ardern said on Monday. Bars, restaurants and gyms in Auckland can reopen from late Thursday, ending the coronavirus lockdown that began in August.

“We have spent two years COVID in better shape than almost anywhere in the world, pointing to low mortality, a growing economy and high vaccination rates,” said Ardern.

Malaysians working in Singapore have celebrated joyful reunions with loved ones after returning to their homeland after reopening part of the land border that was closed for nearly two years because of the pandemic.

Buses carrying fully vaccinated passengers cross the Causeway Bridge connecting Singapore Island with Peninsular Malaysia. Stringent measures include pre-departure and arrival COVID-19 testing.

Malaysia’s health minister tweeted that a case of COVID-19 had been detected during an examination, but did not elaborate. The causeway was one of the busiest land borders in the world before the pandemic hit. Air travel has also reopened with fewer restrictions, allowing anyone who is fully vaccinated to travel between the two countries without quarantine.

Taiwan, which already has strict border entry controls, said it has no plans to further tighten its COVID-19 border policies to protect from the omicron variation.

Taiwan requires a two-week quarantine upon arrival. It has also restricted the issuance of visas and currently does not allow foreigners, with the exception of residence permit holders and those with special circumstances.

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said officials are reserving rooms in government facilities for visitors from countries where omicron cases have been reported. The Central Epidemic Command Center has listed six countries at high risk: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.

Taiwan is bracing for a spike in visitors ahead of the lunar new year, and has allowed returnees to complete a partial two-week quarantine at home. However, anyone arriving is still required to adhere to the full 14-day quarantine schedule and face fines for breaking the quarantine.

North Korea, which has claimed no cases of the virus and has put in place some of the harshest anti-virus measures in the world, said it was doing its best to prevent omicrons from entering the country. Many questioned its claims to be coronavirus-free. Since the pandemic began, North Korea has sealed off international borders and kicked out diplomats.

Meanwhile, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health, said there is no data yet to show that the new variant causes more severe illness than previous COVID-19 variants.

“I actually think it’s more contagious when you look at how quickly it’s spread through so many counties in South Africa. So it’s particularly indicative of being able to spread from person to person. ΓǪ What we don’t know is whether it can compete with delta,” Collins said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Collins echoed some experts in saying the news will prompt people to redouble their efforts to use the tools the world already has, including vaccinations, booster shots and measures like wear the mask.

The United States will ban travel from South Africa and seven other South African countries starting Monday. America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, talks about the ban on ABC’s “This Week”.

Fauci said it will take about two weeks for more accurate information on the transmissibility, severity and other characteristics of omicrons, according to a statement from the White House.

The South African government has reacted angrily to the travel bans, which it says are “akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genetic sequencing and ability to detect new variants more quickly.”

David Hui, a respiratory medicine expert and pandemic government adviser in Hong Kong, said two people who tested positive for the omicron variant there had been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and had other symptoms. very mild symptoms, such as a sore throat.

“Vaccines should work, but there will be some reduction in effectiveness,” he said.

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Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.

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