The World Health Organization declares new coronavirus variant to be of concern.

The World Health Organization, WHO, has declared a new coronavirus variant to be of concern and named it Omicron.

WHO said it had a large number of mutations, and early evidence suggested an increased reinfection risk.

It was first reported from South Africa on 24 November, and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

Meanwhile, a number of countries have now decided to ban or restrict travel to and from southern Africa.

Travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini will not be able to enter the United Kingdom unless they are UK or Irish nationals or residents.

The US says it will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other southern African countries to try to contain a new coronavirus variant spreading there.

From Monday, only US citizens and residents will be allowed to travel from the region.

This follows a similar flight ban imposed by the EU and the UK as Canada is also introducing travel restrictions.

US officials said flights from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi will be blocked, mirroring earlier moves taken by the EU. The ban will come into effect on Monday.

Also In a statement, President Joe Biden called the move a precautionary measure taken until more is known about the variant.