Saudi Arabia records first case of Omicron Covid variant

The kingdom has halted flights from seven African countries in response to the new mutated strain of the coronavirus

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International travellers wearing personal protective equipment arrive at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport as Australia records its first cases of the Omicron variant. AFP

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Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. Dutch health authorities said they have found another case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant among passengers arriving from South Africa, bringing the country’s total to 14. AFP

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British Health Secretary Sajid Javid meets a member of staff at a vaccine centre in Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London. Getty Images

A sign points the way to a Covid-19 test centre at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. AFP

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A PCR test at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. AFP

Soekarno Hatta International airport. Indonesia has banned the arrival of travellers who have recently been in eight southern African countries. Reuters

Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok after Thailand banned entry from eight southern African countries due to the Omicron variant. Reuters

Travellers wear personal protective equipment outside the international terminal at Sydney Airport, Australia. Reuters

Passengers wearing protective gear at Incheon International Airport in South Korea, where health authorities have imposed an entry ban on foreign arrivals from eight African countries, including South Africa. EPA

Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. The Israeli government approved a 14-day ban on foreign arrivals over concerns about Omicron. EPA

Travellers queuing in the hope of boarding an overbooked Lufthansa flight at Cape Town International Airport. Antonie Robertson / The National

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Tourists checking in at Cape Town International Airport in South Africa. Antonie Robertson / The National

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Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Two cases of the recently discovered Omicron variant were detected in New South Wales. EPA

Passengers, many not wearing face coverings, on the London Underground. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said mandatory mask-wearing would return to shops and public transport in England but there are concerns over how the rule will be enforced. AFP

A stroll, with face masks, in Biarritz, south-western France. French Health Minister Olivier Veran said France had no confirmed cases of the Omicron variant and was not changing its strategy of increasing vaccinations and booster shots. AP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty during a press conference on the variant in London. Reuters

Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron

The first case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant has been detected in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom said on Wednesday.

“One case has been detected in the kingdom of a citizen that came from a north African country,” a Health Ministry official said in a statement to state media.

The person and those in contact with them are now in isolation and the appropriate health procedures have been taken, the report said.

“We stress the need for all members of society to complete receiving the coronavirus vaccine doses and to adhere to all precautionary measures," it said.

Health Ministry spokesman, Dr Mohammed AlAbd Al Aly, urged citizens to take the vaccine booster shot if they had passed the six month mark of taking their second dose.

"Failure to immunise against corona increases the chance of the emergence of mutant variants," Mr Al Aly said.

He said that everyone must wear a mask in all places, which was necessary to counter the spread of the virus.

"We call for caution and the application of precautionary measures to confront Covid-19," he said.

Saudi authorities also urged those landing in the kingdom to "adhere to instructions related to quarantine and to ensure they get tested."

The kingdom said on Sunday that it was temporarily suspending flights to and from seven African countries due to the outbreak of the strain first detected in southern Africa.

The countries are Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros.

The rules make an exception for people coming directly or indirectly from those countries who have spent a period of no less than fourteen days in another country whose health procedures comply with Saudi Arabia’s rules regarding entry.

On Saturday, the kingdom updated its rules and said it will allow entry for travellers "from all countries", as long as they have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine inside Saudi Arabia.

Authorities said people would be allowed in from December 3 and would need to quarantine for three days. It did not mention the flight suspensions.

Countries around the world have closed off travel and brought in new measures amid growing fears that the new Omicron strain is more transmissible than the globally dominant delta strain.

Experts and scientists are still studying the mutated strain to assess the threat. The World Health Organisation has already warned it poses a great danger and should be taken seriously.

Omicron was first reported on November 19 in South Africa, where infections have risen steeply.

It has since spread to more than a dozen countries, many of which have imposed travel restrictions to try to seal themselves off.