New Covid variant: Saudi Arabia suspends flights from seven countries

Saudi Arabia has suspended flights from seven southern African countries after South Africa detected a new COVID-19 variant.

All flights are set to be suspended from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana.

The entry to the Kingdom has suspended entry for non-nationals who come directly and indirectly from the aforementioned countries.

Exceptions include those who have spent a period of no less than 14 days in another country from which health procedures in the Kingdom allow entry, in accordance with the approved health procedures.

A senior official in the interior ministry said the decision includes suspending entry to the Kingdom for non-nationals, who come directly and indirectly from the mentioned African countries except for those who have spent a period of no less than 14 days in another country from which health procedures in the Kingdom allow entry to those coming from, in accordance with the approved health procedures, according to SPA.

Britain says B.1.1.529 variant ‘most significant yet found’

Global authorities reacted with alarm on Friday to a new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, with the EU and Britain among those tightening border controls as researchers sought to find out if the mutation was vaccine-resistant.

Hours after Britain banned flights from South Africa and neighbouring countries and asked travellers returning from there to quarantine, the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned against hasty travel bans. The head of the UN World Tourism Organisation called for a quick decision.