Covid-19: India has removed Singapore from its list of "at-risk" nations, travellers from where need to follow additional measures on arrival including post-arrival testing to check the spread of new Omicron variant.
The current list of "at-risk" countries includes countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong and Israel. This development comes as Omicron has been reported in 57 countries, and the WHO expects the number to continue growing.
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India has added several countries to the at-risk nations' list.[/caption]
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Taking cognizance of the emergence of highly mutant Covid-19 variant B.1.1529 or Omicron cases, India added several countries to the list, including Singapore, from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in the country, including post-arrival testing for infection.
A new variant of Covid-19 was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.
On November 26, the WHO named the new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'.
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Several countries have imposed travel restrictions on the southern African nations since the mutation was discovered.[/caption]
Several countries have imposed travel restrictions on the southern African nations since the mutation was discovered. The new Omicron variant has been confirmed in 23 countries and their number is expected to rise, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said.
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WHO: Omicron could have 'major impact', but no definitive answers yet
The World Health Organization (WHO) has shed light on features of new Covid-19 variant Omicron, including the extent to which it will spread, and the number of mutations in the newfound strain.
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The new Omicron variant has been confirmed in 23 countries and their number is expected to rise.[/caption]
-PTC News
