Omicron Spreads In Europe, With Cases Identified In Germany, Italy And U.K.

Omicron Spreads In Europe, With Cases Identified In Germany, Italy And U.K.

Share to Linkedin Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom have confirmed cases of the omicron new coronavirus variant Saturday as nations around the world have moved to clamp down on travel from the continent due to concerns over the new form of the deadly virus. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images) Germany's health authorities said Saturday they detected two people infected with omicron, but it was not immediately clear where the people had travelled from, Reuters reports. Italy's National Health Institute said Saturday a person who had travelled from Mozambique has been diagnosed with the new variant, Reuters reports. The new omicron variant, which was first spotted in southern Africa, has been identified in Belgium, Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel. Sajid Javid, the U. K. health secretary, said two cases had been detected in Essex and Nottingham that were "linked," and the two people were undergoing further tests as authorities conduct contact tracing, the BBC reports. The U. K. has added four African countries — Angola, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia—to its travel red list and imposed stricter rules on PCR testing for international travels and face-coverings in-doors and encouraged people to get a