Foreign diplomats travelling from Europe were among first known Omicron cases: Botswana president

Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi said some of the four diplomats who first tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant in the country had come from Europe, calling for a reversal of widespread travel bans imposed against southern African countries.

Omicron, dubbed a variant of concern by the World Health Organization, has prompted many governments to impose curbs on travel from southern Africa, and to take other measures to contain it.

While it is still not established where Omicron first emerged, on Nov. 25 South Africa, followed by Botswana a day later, announced they had detected a new variant whose mutations were different from the dominant Delta variant.

South Africa has also complained it is being punished for having identified the new variant early.

"It is unnecessary and if you ask me, for lack of a better expression, irresponsible," Masisi said of the travel curbs, speaking in an interview with CNN on Thursday evening.