World takes action as new variant emerges in southern Africa

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — A slew of nations have moved to stop air travel from southern Africa, and stocks have plunged in Asia and Europe in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible COVID-19 variant. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday that “the last thing we need is to bring in a new variant that will cause even more problems” amid a massive spike of cases in Europe. There are fears that the new variant could be even more contagious than the current predominant one and could bypass the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns. The EU is moving to impose a flight ban from southern Africa to the bloc and several of its nations already enforced one on their own.