Countries Where Covid-19 Omicron Variant Has Existed

Britain said it would convene an emergency meeting of the G7 group of health ministers on Monday to discuss the latest developments.

Meanwhile, the Dutch health agency said 13 cases of the Omicron variant were found in people on two flights that arrived in Amsterdam from South Africa on Friday.

Dutch authorities have tested more than 600 passengers on both flights.

After 61 cases of coronavirus were found, testing continued to detect Omicron variants.

"This may be the tip of the iceberg," Health Minister Hugo de Jonge told reporters.

Dutch military police said they had arrested a couple who left the hotel where they were quarantined after testing positive for Covid-19. The couple reportedly tried to flee the country.

The WHO declared Omicron last week as a variant of concern because it had the potential to be more contagious than other variants.

Omicron has so far been detected in Australia, Belgium, Botswana, the UK, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Canada, and South Africa.