Russia reports its first cases of omicron COVID-19 variant

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian health authorities on Monday said they have confirmed the first two cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus in travelers who returned from South Africa. The country’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said a total of 10 people who returned from South Africa recently tested positive for COVID-19, but the new variant has only been confirmed in two cases so far, with other samples still being studied for omicron. Russia restricted entry for all foreigners traveling from countries in southern Africa and required all Russian nationals returning from South Africa or neighboring countries as of Thursday to quarantine for 14 days because of the the omicron variant, which was first reported by scientists in South Africa.