French Prime Minister Jean Costex has said that the Omicron variant is spreading in Europe at “lightning speed". He also said that the situation in France would worsen early next year. The warning came hours after the United States imposed a strict travel ban on France, BBC reported.
Following the remarks of the French Prime Minister, the French authorities imposed new restrictions on travel to and from the United Kingdom. New sanctions have also been announced in Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Omicron variants of the coronavirus have been identified in at least 89 countries around the world. The World Health Organization said it is spreading much faster than the Delta variant. In just three days, the number of victims has doubled.
Concerns have also been raised in Europe and America about the rising rate of Omicron infection. Scientists consulting with the British government said hospitals will be under tremendous pressure if tougher measures are not taken to stem the spread of the virus.
Among the countries in Europe, the UK has so far identified the highest number of omicrons. On Friday (December 17), 15,000 Omicrons were detected in the country.
According to the latest figures from the European Union, 8 crore 90 lakh Corona infections have been reported in Europe so far, and about 15 lakh people died from Corona.