South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on countries to “urgently” reverse “scientifically unjustified” travel bans linked to the discovery of the Omicron.
The South African president was quoted as saying in his first address to the nation following the detection of the new variant, “We call upon all those countries that have imposed travel bans on our country and our southern African sister countries to immediately and urgently reverse their decisions.
“The prohibition of travel is not informed by science.”
Ramaphosa said his country should expect a fourth wave of coronavirus infections in the wake of the discovery of the omicron variant.
But he said authorities would not be considering economic lockdown restrictions for the time being.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it was not yet clear if Omicron caused more severe diseases.
“Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalisation in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of specific infection with Omicron.”
The head of WHO in Africa also urged countries to follow the science rather than imposing flight bans in a bid to contain the new Omicron variant.
“With the Omicron variant now detected in several regions of the world, putting in place travel bans that target Africa attacks global solidarity,” said WHO’s regional director general Matshidiso Moeti.
