Rwanda confirms six infections with Omicron variant

Rwanda has confirmed six cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the health ministry said, as it pushed for authorities in the small East African country to urge people to get vaccinated.

“All arriving passengers must quarantine for three days at a designated hotel at their own cost,” the cabinet of ministers said in a resolution on Tuesday, adding that it had suspended nightclub operations and live band entertainment.

Some 40% of the Rwandan population have received two vaccine doses and it has started issuing booster shots. It registered 50 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with a positivity rate of 0.5%.

Authorities last month suspended direct flights to and from southern Africa due to the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.

Red list

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has confirmed that it has removed South Africa and ten other African countries from its “red list” of travel restrictions.

The other countries are Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The countries were put on the red list last month as a precaution after scientists in South Africa identified the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

In the video below, London correspondent Giles Gibson gives more details: