First case of new COVID variant detected in Europe

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Belgium reports the new Covid strain case in the country. An unvaccinated person who returned from Egypt on 11th November has tested positive for the new Covid variant. The man who has never been infected with Covid before tested positive on 22nd November. This is the first ever reported case in Europe.

The new Covid strain B.1.1.529 has been recently named by WHO as Omicron. Frank Vandebroucke, Health Minister of Belgium tweeted about the case. Vandebroucke said that “It must be repeated that this is a suspect variant – we don’t know if it is very dangerous variant. So total precaution but do not panic”

Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic. Many European countries have already decided to stop the flights temporarily from Bostwana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Other countries are also following the suits. US would impose travelling restrictions from these countries from Monday; Canada would be barring any foreign tourists who have travelled to South Africa in the last 14 days.

The restrictions have come in play after WHO has called it a variant of concern.