COVID-19 updates: 2 cases of omicron variant confirmed in Canada, officials say

South Africa has complained it is being punished for discovering the new variant

A statement by the South African International Relations & Cooperation Department criticized the travel bans and said the bans were "akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker."

"Excellent science should be applauded and not punished. The global community needs collaboration and partnerships in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement from the South African goverment also read.

"A combination of South Africa’s capacity to test and it’s ramped-up vaccination programme, backed up by world class scientific community, should give our global partners the comfort that we are doing as well as they are in managing the pandemic. South Africa follows and enforces globally recognised COVID-19 health protocols on travel. No infected individuals are permitted to leave the country," the statement continued.

South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor said: "Whilst we respect the right of all countries to take the necessary precautionary measures to protect their citizens, we need to remember that this pandemic requires collaboration and sharing of expertise. Our immediate concern is the damage that these restrictions are causing to families, the travel and tourism industries and business."

South Africa has already started engaging countries that have imposed travel bans with the view to persuade them to reconsider.

Two cases of the new omicron COVID-19 variant have been confirmed in Germany on Saturday.

The cases were confirmed in Bavaria and involve two poeple who arrived in Munich on Nov. 24 on a flight from South Africa, the Bavarian Ministry of Health and Care said.

Both travelers had returned to Bavaria on Wednesday after an extended stay in South Africa. They had been in domestic isolation since Nov. 25 after testing positive for PCR.

After reporting on the new variant, the two individuals had proactively arranged for themselves to be tested for the variant, a ministry spokeswoman said. The PCR test was positive in both of them, she said. The samples were further tested today at the Max von Pettenkofer Institute in Munich using a variant-specific PCR test, which detected the highly contagious omicron variant.

In the coming week, an additional whole genome sequencing should be carried out, said Munich virologist Oliver Keppler. However, according to Keppler, the PCR procedure carried out today "allows a clear differentiation from other SARS-CoV-2 variants." Together with the travel history, the detection of omicron can be considered "doubtless," he said.

The Bavarian Health Ministry urged passengers who arrived from South Africa on the same flight on Nov. 24 to report immediately to their local health department. All persons who traveled from South Africa in the past 14 days should immediately reduce their contacts, take a PCR test indicating their travel history and contact the health office immediately, the ministry said, adding: "Do everything to prevent spread."

Moreover, all persons entering southern Africa from areas classified by the Robert Koch Institute as virus-variant areas must be quarantined for 14 days -- this also applies regardless of vaccination status.

"We must do everything we can to prevent the spread of the new variant in the Free State and in Germany," said a ministry spokeswoman in Munich. It is not yet clear whether the new variant is actually more contagious and leads to more hospitalizations, she said. "Until the science is clearer, however, we must exercise caution," the spokeswoman stressed.

Earlier, Hesse's Social Affairs Minister Kai Klose of the Green Party announced another suspected case. According to the report, several mutations typical for this variant were found in a traveler returning from South Africa. The fully vaccinated person had reportedly entered the country via Frankfurt Airport on Nov. 21 and developed symptoms over the course of the week. An exact result is expected in this case on Monday.

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou

Vice President Kamala Harris says she has been briefed on the omicron variant and when asked if there will be any additional travel restrictions, she said they will be "taking it one step at a time."

Harris said that for now, the administration believes they’ve done "what we believe is necessary," and they will "take every precaution" to protect Americans.

-ABC News' Justin Gomez

English Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new tightened measures Saturday in response to the discovery of omicron in the UK. The measures include:

-All international arrivals entering England must take a Day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.

-All contacts of suspected omicron cases must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status.

-Face coverings will become compulsory on public transport and in shops.

The UK government had also said that omicron was found in Chelmsford, but said Saturday that that information was incorrect and that the variant had been found in Brentwood.

A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: "We can confirm that a single case involving the new Covid-19 Variant of Concern (B 1.1.529) , Omicron, has been identified in Brentwood. This is linked to a single case from Nottingham involving international travel to South Africa."

“We are working with regional and local public health officers who are assessing the situation. All close contacts of these individuals will be followed up and requested to isolate and get tested," the spokesperson said in a Twitter thread.

"The individuals who have so far tested positive, as well as all members of their households, are being re-tested and have been told to self-isolate while contact tracing is underway .... While this work takes place, it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions -- get a PCR test if you have symptoms, isolate when asked, wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, ventilate rooms, get your vaccine and boosters as soon as you can," the spokesperson added.

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou