Coronavirus: Omicron variant prompts South Korea, Australia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand to impose travel curbs
- The restrictions are similar to those brought in by Singapore, Hong Kong and elsewhere after the discovery of the new variant triggered global alarm on Friday
- Scientists around the world are racing to determine how the new Omicron variant is likely to behave in people who have been vaccinated or previously infected

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said that from November 28 the issuance visas for those from eight nations in southern Africa would be restricted while South Korean citizens returning from the region would be quarantined.
The eight countries subject to the new restrictions are South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, eSwatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Effective immediately, the Australian government will ban non-citizens who have been in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, eSwatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique from entering and will require supervised 14-day quarantines for Australian citizens and their dependents returning from the countries, said Health Minister Greg Hunt.
These restrictions also apply to people such as international students and skilled migrants arriving from countries with which Australia has travel bubbles, who have been in any of the nine countries within the past 14 days.

“If the medical evidence shows that further actions are required, we will not hesitate to take them. And that may involve strengthening or expanding the restrictions,” Hunt said.
