MOSCOW, December 11. /TASS/: The Russian government has fully blocked entry to Russia for foreigners from nine African countries and Hong Kong due to the spread of the coronavirus infection, canceling the earlier exceptions for the holders of diplomatic passports and business visas, as well as for some other categories. A corresponding decree, signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, was published on Friday.
According to it, these countries include "Botswana, Zimbabwe, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Eswatini, the Republic of South Africa."
Earlier, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported that the entry of foreigners residing in Hong Kong or in some African countries would be restricted due to the spread of the new strain of the infection.
On November 26, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the B.1.1.529 variant identified in South Africa as a "Variant of Concern" and assigned it the Greek letter Omicron. In its statement, the WHO noted that "this variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning." The epicenter of the spread of the Omicron strain is southern Africa. The highest number of those infected with it has been detected in South Africa. The new strain has already been recorded in over 50 countries. At the same time, not a single fatality has been documented among those infected with Omicron.
