photo = Yonhap News
There is a possibility that the omicron mutation of COVID-19 may have spread widely to several continents before the time when major countries controlled borders. This is because the number of infected people who have not visited Africa, such as South Africa, is increasing everywhere. There is controversy over the effectiveness of the decision to close the border, such as restricting travel to South Africa.
According to CNN on the 29th (local time), as of the same day, at least 70 countries have announced travel restrictions. The ban on entry from South Africa came on the 25th, hours after South Africa discovered the existence of the omicron mutation and reported its severity to the World Health Organization (WHO).
It is an ‘early detection’ compared to the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak or the discovery of a delta mutation this summer, but there was a gap of about two weeks from the first appearance to the WHO report. South African scientists collected the first sample on the 9th of this month, and the South African health authorities reported it to the WHO on the 24th.
The WHO convened an emergency meeting on the 26th, designated the new mutation as a ‘variant of concern’, named it Omicron, and announced a ban on entry to countries in South Africa, including South Africa.
South Africa’s daily number of confirmed cases has surpassed 1,000 since the 24th. Compared to around 200 people at the beginning of this month, the number soared more than five times. This is due to an increase in the number of infections in the Hauteng region of South Africa, and South African health authorities believe that the omicron mutation has had a significant impact.
Considering the incubation period, it is highly likely that the infected have moved to Africa and other continents. Two people who were diagnosed with Omicron infection in Canada on the 28th were confirmed to have recently returned from a visit to Nigeria.
In Portugal, 13 people, including players and employees of professional soccer teams, were also infected with the Omicron mutation. Among them, one player recently visited South Africa. In Scotland, England, six people were confirmed to have been infected with the omicron mutation. The survey found that some of them had never traveled to South Africa.
“By the time we have enough information to issue a travel ban, it’s already too late,” said Nicole Irett, a professor at the University of Washington at the University of Washington, in an interview with the Washington Post. can buy time, but it will be a few days to a few weeks.”
Shin Hyun-bo, reporter at Hankyung.com greaterfool@hankyung.com
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