{"id":142306,"date":"2021-11-27T13:53:50","date_gmt":"2021-11-27T17:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=142306"},"modified":"2021-11-27T13:53:50","modified_gmt":"2021-11-27T17:53:50","slug":"south-africa-punished-for-detecting-new-omicron-variant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/south-africa-punished-for-detecting-new-omicron-variant\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa \u2018punished\u2019 for detecting new Omicron variant"},"content":{"rendered":"
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BBC: South Africa has complained it is being punished \u2013 instead of applauded \u2013 for discovering Omicron, a concerning new variant of Covid-19.<\/p>

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The foreign ministry made the statement as countries around the world restrict travel from southern African countries as details of the spread emerged.<\/p>\n

Early evidence suggests Omicron has a higher re-infection risk.<\/p>

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The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that the new variant was being considered as \u201cof concern\u201d.<\/p>

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Several cases have been identified in Europe, including two in the UK and one in Belgium. Single suspected cases were also found in Germany and the Czech republic.<\/p>\n

The new variant has also been detected in Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel.<\/p>

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Hundreds of passengers arriving in the Netherlands from South Africa are being tested for the new variant.<\/p>\n

Some 61 people on two KLM flights were positive for Covid-19 and have been quarantined at a hotel near Amsterdam\u2019s Schiphol airport while they have further tests, Dutch officials said.<\/p>

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The Netherlands is currently struggling with a record-breaking surge in cases. An extended partial lockdown comes into force there on Sunday evening.<\/p>

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The new Omicron variant was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on 24 November.<\/p>\n

\u2018Excellent science\u2019<\/h2>\n

A statement by the South African foreign ministry on Saturday strongly criticised the travel bans.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent science should be applauded and not punished,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

The bans were \u201cakin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker\u201d.<\/p>\n

The statement added that the reaction had been completely different when new variants were discovered elsewhere in the world.<\/p>\n

An African Union official told the BBC developed countries were to blame for the emergence of the variant.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is going on right now is inevitable, it\u2019s a result of the world\u2019s failure to vaccinate in an equitable, urgent and speedy manner. It is as a result of hoarding [of vaccines] by high-income countries of the world, and quite frankly it is unacceptable,\u201d said AU vaccine delivery alliance co-chair Ayoade Alakija.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese travel bans are based in politics, and not in science. It is wrong\u2026 Why are we locking away Africa when this virus is already on three continents?\u201d<\/p>\n

On Friday and Saturday, a number of countries announced new measures:<\/p>\n