(Reuters) – The Omicron coronavirus variant continued to spread around the globe on Sunday. Two cases were detected in Australia and more countries attempted to restrict travel.

Health officials in Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, said https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australian-state-edge-about-omicron-virus-variant-arrival-2021-11-27 two passengers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on Saturday evening had tested positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The NSW Health stated that both people had been symptomatic and were fully vaccinated. Twelve additional passengers were from south Africa and they are currently in hospital quarantine. About 260 others passengers have also been instructed to isolate.

Australian cases show that it may be hard to eradicate. The variant was initially discovered in South Africa. It has also been identified in Britain and Germany as well as in Israel, Israel, Botswana, Botswana and the United Kingdom.

Omicron has been labelled a “variant concern” by the World Health Organization. This raises concerns about its ability to resist vaccinations.

Omicron is potentially more contagious https://www.reuters.com/world/how-worried-should-we-be-about-omicron-variant-2021-11-27 than previous variants, although experts do not know yet if it will cause more or less severe COVID-19 compared to other strains.

A wave of travel restrictions or bans have been imposed by several countries on the continent. The variant was feared by investors as it could slow down a global recovery. Oil prices fell by $10 per barrel.

Sunday’s early trade saw sharp falls in most Gulf stock market markets, including the Saudi index, which suffered its worst single day fall in two years.

In the most far-reaching effort to keep the variant at bay, Israel announced https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-ban-entry-foreigners-all-countries-over-omicron-2021-11-27 late on Saturday it would ban the entry of all foreigners and reintroduce counter-terrorism phone-tracking technology to contain the spread of the variant.

Premier Naftali Bennett said that the ban would be effective for fourteen days and will need to be approved by government. Officials believe that Omicron vaccines will prove to be effective within the 14-day period.

There are many countries that have placed or plan to place restrictions on traveling from South Africa. This was condemned by the South African government on Saturday. It also stated that it will be punished for being able to detect coronavirus variants earlier.

The government of Britain announced that it was taking measures to stop the spread of Omicron in Britain. Two linked Omicron cases were identified Saturday. They had been connected to trips to south Africa.

Bavaria in Germany announced Saturday that two cases had been confirmed. According to the Italian National Health Institute, a Mozambican national was found in Milan with a confirmed case of the variant.

VACCINE DISPARITIES

Omicron can be prevented by travel restrictions, according to epidemiologists. Many countries, such as the United States of America, Brazil and Canada, European Union members, Australia, Japan or South Korea have issued travel bans.

On Sunday, more countries placed such restrictions including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

Hugo Lopez Gatell from Mexico, Mexico’s vice health secretary, stated that travel restrictions were not of much use as a response to this new variant. He called the measures taken in some countries “disproportionate”.

It is not known if it can evade or be more aggressive than the vaccine-induced immune reaction. “They affect the economy, well-being and people,” he stated in Saturday’s Twitter (NYSE) post.

Omicron was discovered as many countries across Europe struggle with an increase in COVID-19-related infections. Some are imposing restrictions on social interaction to prevent the spread.

This new version has brought to light huge differences in vaccine rates across the world. Medical and human rights organizations claim that while many developing countries offer third-dose boosters to their citizens, less than seven percent have received their COVID-19 vaccine.

Seth Berkley (CEO of GAVI Vaccine Alliance) said this was crucial to stop the emergence coronavirus variants.

“While we still need to know more about Omicron, we do know that as long as large portions of the world’s population are unvaccinated, variants will continue to appear, and the pandemic will continue to be prolonged,” he said in a statement to Reuters on Saturday.