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Thailand bans entry from 8 African countries over COVID Omicron variant

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Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Foreign tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport during the first day of the country" s="" reopening="" part="" of="" the="" plan="" to="" jump-start="" pandemic-hit="" tourism="" sector="" in="" Bangkok="" November="" Athit="" Reuters="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/overseas/11/27/travel.jpg"/><figcaption>Foreign tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport during the first day of the country&#x27;s reopening campaign, part of the government&#x27;s plan to jump-start the pandemic-hit tourism sector in Bangkok November 1, 2021. Athit Perawongmetha, Reuters/file</figcaption></figure></div><p>BANGKOK—Thailand said on Saturday it would ban the entry of people traveling from 8 African countries it designated as high risk for the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.</p><p>Starting in December, travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, will be prohibited, senior health official Opas Karnkawinpong told a news conference.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/11/27/21/us-imposes-travel-ban-on-eight-african-countries-over-omicron-variant">US imposes travel ban on eight African countries over Omicron variant</a></li></ul><p>Thailand will not allow travelers from these countries to register to travel to Thailand starting on Saturday, he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/11/27/21/who-names-new-covid-variant-of-concern-omicron">WHO names new COVID variant omicron, cautions against travel measures</a></li></ul><p>The announcement came as other countries in Asia tighten borders over worries about the B 1.1.529 variant. The World Health Organization designated it the latest &quot;variant of concern,&quot; saying it may spread more quickly than other forms.</p><p>&quot;We have notified airlines and these countries,&quot; Opas said adding that travelers from other African countries will not be allowed to use the country&#x27;s quarantine-free travel scheme for vaccinated travelers. (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and William Mallard)</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1843086" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

The World Health Organization designated it the latest 'variant of concern,' saying it may spread more quickly than other forms.