New data from the Netherlands revealed Tuesday that the Omicron coronavirus variant was prevalent in Europe before the first cases were reported in South Africa, as Latin America reported its first two cases in Brazil.
In the week since South Africa disclosed the new virus strain to the World Health Organization, dozens of governments around the world have imposed travel restrictions, the majority of which target southern African countries.
However, the World Health Organization warned Tuesday that “blanket” travel bans could cause more harm than good, as Canada expanded its restrictions to include Egypt and Nigeria.