The omicron variant of COVID-19, first identified in South Africa, has now been detected in countries from the U.S. to South Korea, underscoring the difficulties of curtailing contagious new strains.
Most infections stem from travelers carrying the disease across borders. Israel, for instance, said a confirmed case who arrived from Malawi rode on a bus from Tel Aviv. Italy’s first case traveled around the country for days before testing positive. The first omicron case was confirmed in the U.S. in a person who returned from South Africa, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Researchers worldwide are racing to understand the full impact of the new strain, and governments have banned travelers from South Africa and nearby countries on concerns omicron could evade the protection of vaccines and fuel new surges.
Here’s how far omicron has reached:
South Africa:Omicron is now the dominant strain in South Africa, which reported more than 11,000 COVID-19 cases on Dec. 2.
Botswana: At least 19 cases detected.
U.K.: Five cases, the two latest cases are not connected to each other and not related to the previous three confirmed infections linked to travel in South Africa.
Germany: Two cases in travelers who arrived at Munich airport from South Africa, AFP reported, citing regional officials.
Netherlands: 13 cases detected among travelers from South Africa.
Denmark: Two cases in arrivals from South Africa.
Belgium: One case.
Israel: One confirmed case and other suspected ones, as of Nov. 27.
Italy: One case who moved around the country before testing positive.
Czech Republic: One case, according to local media.
Austria: One confirmed case in Tyrol for person arriving from South Africa. Authorities reviewing another 30 suspected cases.
Switzerland: Three cases. People are in isolation.
France: Thirteen suspected cases, according to a government spokesman.
Portugal: Nineteen cases identified. The cases are all related to infections at the Belenenses SAD soccer club, Graca Freitas.
Spain: One case, according to Madrid’s health ministry.
Sweden:One case, according to the country’s Public Health Agency.
Hong Kong SAR: Four imported cases confirmed, two of them related to South Africa and the others to Nigeria.
Australia: Six cases in New South Wales state. The sixth case was a fully vaccinated traveler who had recently visited southern Africa, according to NSW Health.
Japan: One confirmed patient who returned from Namibia. A second case was recorded in a person arriving from Peru.
Canada:Five cases, including a first case in Quebec who had traveled from Nigeria, according to Reuters, citing Ottawa Public Health.
Brazil: Two cases. Spotted in samples from a married couple who had recently arrived from South Africa.
Norway: Two cases confirmed in the Oygarden municipality. Both people had been traveling in South Africa.
Ireland: One case confirmed in a person who traveled to a risk area.
U.S.: First case detected in California. Several U.S. states have since reported omicron cases.
South Korea:Five cases confirmed, including a couple who returned from Nigeria and their contacts.
U.A.E.: One case confirmed.
Saudi Arabia: One case confirmed.
Finland: Confirmed one case.
Greece: One confirmed case, according to the health minister.
Singapore: Two imported cases detected.
Ghana: First cases recorded, variant detected in multiple samples.
Zimbabwe: First case identified.
India: Two cases of the omicron variant in the southern state of Karnataka.
Chile: First omicron case in a traveler from Ghana.
Iceland: Several confirmed cases, according to Iceland Review.
Malaysia: First case detected in a 19-year-old woman who had arrived from South Africa via Singapore.
Mozambique: Two cases as of Dec. 1, Reuters reports.
Romania: Two cases as of Dec. 5.
Sri Lanka: First case detected, according to state TV on Dec. 3.
Zambia: Three cases, health minister says.
Senegal: First cases detected.
Tunisia: First case recorded, according to the AP.
With assistance by Anjali Cordeiro, Claire Che, Jin Wu, Antony Sguazzin, Marton Eder, Simone Stern, and Joao Lima
