Australia tightens borders over virus concerns

SYDNEY: Australia banned flights from nine southern African countries yesterday, tightening its borders to prevent the entry of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Non-Australians who visited South Africa, Zimbabwe and several other nations in the past fortnight will also be barred from Australia, Heath Minister Greg Hunt said.

Citizens and residents travelling from the listed countries will have to quarantine for 14 days.

“These are strong, swift, decisive and immediate actions,” Hunt told media in Canberra.