Covid 19: Interprovincial Travel Ban on the Cards Ahead of Festive Season
- This year's festive season might not be so merry as the government mulls over a potential interprovincial travel ban
- The new Covid 19 variant, Omicron, is spreading like wildfire across South Africa
- Cases of Covid 19 have exploded with 2 800 new cases reported on Friday, over 2 000 cases were discovered in Gauteng alone
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JOHANNESBURG - Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has said that an interprovincial travel ban ahead of the festive season has not been ruled out.
The number of new Covid 19 infections has exploded in South Africa after the identification of the new variant B.1.1.529 now named Omicron.
Source: UGC
Over 2 800 new cases were reported on Friday with over 2 000 cases in Gauteng alone.
The new variant is spreading like wildfire across South Africa which has prompted discussion around imposing a travel ban to try and curb the spread of the virus.
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With Christmas around the corner and the recent news of the flight bans that were imposed, it is shaping up to be another miserable festive season.
Covid 19: 61 South Africans land in Netherlands test positive for virus
The Dutch health authorities have confirmed that 61 South Africans who arrived in Amsterdam on two separate flights have tested positive for Covid 19.
This comes after the European Union announced a flight ban on South Africa and five other African countries.
Punished for doing the right thing: Health department condemns sudden travel ban
Earlier, Briefly News reported that the Department of Health has reacted with anger to the sudden decision by a number of governments to ban flights from South Africa.
South Africa has been placed back on the red list after the new Covid 19 variant was detected.
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla lamented the fact that South Africa did the right thing by being completely transparent with the discovery of the variant.
He said that the sudden decision had created a great deal of panic and uncertainty according to New24.
Phaahla was asked if South Africa would retaliate to the decision. He replied that the South African government has not used retaliation in the past.
Source: Briefly News
