COVID-19: South Africa condemns ‘punishment’ over Omicron variant detection

 

South Africa has accused countries of punishing its advanced ability which detected the coronavirus (COVID-19) Omicron variant.

 

The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation condemned the treatment in a statement on Saturday.

 

Travel bans and restrictions have been imposed against the country due to the new variant.

 

Omicron, first discovered in South Africa, has been detected in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

 

“This latest round of travel bans is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker.

 

“Excellent science should be applauded and not punished”, the statement read.

 

Noting that the variant is now in other territories, South Africa said the world’s reaction to those countries have been “starkly different”.

 

The new variant could evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible.

 

On Friday the World Health Organisation (WHO) named it Omicron and designated it as a “variant of concern”.