Omicron Variant: From Discovery To Global Panic In 48 Hours

Daily Mail: From discovery to global panic in 48 hours: How South African scientists' warnings about soaring cases of Covid super-mutant variant sparked frantic cabinet meeting and worldwide travel ban

* B.1.1.529 was first discovered in Hong Kong on Monday when a patient travelled back from South Africa

* The variant received international attention on Wednesday but dismissed as not an 'issue' by No10

* A surge in cases in South Africa led to ministers and experts meeting on Thursday to discuss a response

* Britain and Europe closed off their borders to Southern Africa today and experts mooted further lockdowns

The world shut itself off from Southern Africa today in response to a super mutant variant that was unheard of just days ago. B.1.1.529 — which has now been named Omicron— was first picked up in Hong Kong on Monday in a patient who had travelled from South Africa.

It did not catch international attention until Wednesday after a British scientists mentioned its 32 'horrific' mutations on social media after cases were picked up in Botswana and South Africa as well.

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Update: New COVID-19 variant triggers global alarm as WHO urges caution (Reuters)

WNU Editor: More information on this variant will become known in the coming days. But in the meantime everyone is expecting the worse .... EU States Agree to Suspend Travel to Southern Africa (Reuters).