The omicron variant of COVID-19 was present in the Netherlands a week before scientists detected it in South Africa, the Dutch National Institute of Public Health reported Tuesday.
Though the agency, RIVM, first thought the variant had arrived in the country with 14 passengers who tested positive for it while entering the country from South Africa on Nov. 26, retesting of samples taken on Nov. 19 and Nov. 23 showed that the variant was already present in the Netherlands.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE OMICRON VARIANT
“It is not yet clear whether these people had also visited southern Africa,” the agency said.
Initial testing of these samples showed abnormalities in the virus’s spike protein. They were sent to RIVM for further analysis. The omicron variant that was first sequenced on Nov. 24 in South Africa has between 26 and 32 mutations on the spike.
The discovery of the mutation in South Africa prompted several countries, including the United States, to restrict travel from countries in the southern African region. This new finding, however, suggests that the mutation may not have originated there. Officials in Botswana said the omicron variant was present in their country even earlier, on Nov. 7, after retesting samples.
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“It’s not clear where the variant actually emerged,” Stat News reported. “It could be that South Africa and Botswana saw it early because they have strong genetic sequencing networks.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the travel restrictions, saying they penalize the continent for sharing “crucial science and health information with the world.”
