EU urges travel bans amid concerns over Omicron COVID-19 variant

The European Union is calling on member states to introduce travel bans to and from countries where the new "Omicron" COVID-19 variant has been detected. Scientists are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant due to the number of mutations that have been identified with Belgium being the latest country to report a case of the new, highly infectious variant. The case was an unvaccinated woman who tested positive on November 22 after returning from Egypt via Turkey. The UK reacted by suspending flights from six African countries on Friday.