Omicron variant map: The seven countries where new Covid strain has been identified

South Africa’s northern neighbour, Botswana, is the only other country in Africa to have officially identified a case of the Omicron variant at this point.

Yesterday the Belgium Health Minister, Frank Vandenbroucke, confirmed that the country had become the first in Europe to identify a case of the strain.

Belgian officials later revealed that the variant was detected in a traveller returning from Egypt.

The four remaining countries to have identified cases of the Omicron variant are Germany, Czech Republic, Israel and Hong Kong.