COVID-19 'Omicron' Variant Was in Europe Before South Africa Flagged It: Report

Omicron has now been found in 20 countries in the world. Image used for representation purpose.

(Photo: Pixabay)

Dutch health authorities on Tuesday, 30 November, announced that they found the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in cases that go as far back as 11 days, implying that this ‘variant of concern’ was already in Europe before the first cases were identified in South Africa.

According to CBS News, Belgium and Germany have also said that tests show the variant was in their countries before South African health officials pointed it out to the world.

Sharing that Omicron has been found in samples dating from 19 November to 23 November, the Netherland's RIVM health institute, according to CBS News, said:

"It is not yet clear whether the people concerned [in the earlier cases] have also been to southern Africa.”

The RVIM also said that in the “coming period,” the Netherlands will conduct several studies into the distribution of the Omicron variant.

'People of Africa Cannot Be Blamed'

Omicron has now been found in 20 countries in the world.

As the new variant and the global curbs it has triggered, amplify concerns about vaccine inequality, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had, on Monday, said in a statement:

"The people of Africa cannot be blamed for the immorally low level of vaccinations available in Africa - and they should not be penalized for identifying and sharing crucial science and health information with the world.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) had on Monday warned that Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant, poses a "very high risk" to the world, further emphasising that the lack of information surrounding the contagiousness of the variant makes it even more necessary to take precautions.

(With inputs from CBS News and Reuters.)