iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
Passengers reaching their final destination without their baggage should contact the airport airline representative or contact their airline call centre, DXB said
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Covid-19 Omicron variant: South African expert says vaccines likely effective against severe infection
Discovery of the variant in southern Africa has caused a strong global reaction.
Reuters file
Existing Covid-19 vaccines are probably effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation from the newly identified Omicron variant, a top South African infectious disease expert said on Monday.
Professor Salim Abdool Karim added at a news conference that it was too early to say whether Omicron led to more severe clinical symptoms than previous variants, although it does appear more transmissable and more likely to infect people who have immunity from vaccination or prior infection.
The discovery of the variant in southern Africa has caused a strong global reaction, with countries limiting travel from the region and imposing other restrictions for fear that it could spread quickly even in vaccinated populations.
However, scientists have yet to determine how deadly it is when compared to earlier strains that cause Covid-19, or what effect existing vaccines might have on the illness it causes.
On Sunday, a South African doctor who was one of the first to suspect a new strain, said Omicron appeared so far to be producing mild symptoms.
ALSO READ:
However, Abdool Karim, a professor at South Africa's University of KwaZulu-Natal and Columbia University in the United States, said it was too early to draw firm conclusions, because doctors can only comment on patients who they treat.
"In terms of clinical presentation, there's not enough data yet," he said.
South Africa's government is doing everything possible to prepare its health facilities to cope with the variant, Health Minister Joe Phaahla told the news conference.
Phaahla said officials were engaging with countries that imposed travel restrictions on southern African countries to try to get them reversed.
More news from
Spot gold was trading at $2,384.14 per ounce at 9.25 am UAE time, up 0.17 per cent
Passengers already in Dubai and in transit will continue to be processed for their flights, the airlines said
The airline also suspended flights to Iran amid reports of an Israeli strike
Expect fair to partly cloudy conditions today with chances of fog and mist formation in some areas
Iran fired air defense batteries after reports of explosions near a major airbase at the city of Isfahan
Other requests include residents seeking assistance with cleaning mud accumulation, restoring damaged furniture
Many students wade through waist-deep water to head to neighbour's house for online classes
