Being "Punished" For Detecting New Covid Variant Omicron: South Africa
NDTV
The decision by a number of countries around the world to ban flights from southern Africa following the discovery of the variant "is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing.
South Africa complained Saturday that it is being "punished" for detecting a new Covid-19 variant Omicron which the World Health Organization has termed a "variant of concern" and is more transmissible than the dominant Delta strain.
The decision by a number of countries around the world to ban flights from southern Africa following the discovery of the variant "is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker," the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
"Excellent science should be applauded and not punished," it said.
The ministry pointed out that new variants had been discovered in other parts of the world.
