South Africa wants countries to rethink travel bans.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on countries to reverse travel bans because of a new strain of Covid-19.
The Omicron variant, which was first detected by South African scientists last week, has been classified as a "variant of concern" with early analysis showing it has a higher re-infection risk compared to other variant.
It is responsible for most of the infections found in South Africa's most populated province, and the number of cases appears to be increasing in almost all provinces.
Dozens of countries blacklisted passengers from South Africa and its neighbours, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Israel and the European Union.
South Africa has hit back at the travel bans, saying that they are punishing the country for the great scientific work it did in finding the new variant.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his first address to the nation that travel bans should be immediately reversed by all countries that have imposed them.
Science does not inform the prohibition of travel. The prohibition on travel will only damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their ability to recover from the Pandemic.
He said that the restrictions are unjust and unfairly discriminate against the country.
The WHO in Africa urged countries to follow the science rather than impose flight bans.
The WHO regional director general said that travel bans that target Africa attacks global solidarity because of the Omicron variant.
Travel restrictions may be helpful in reducing the spread of COVID-19, but they also place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.
Omicron has been detected in a number of countries, including the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia and Israel.
The unemployment rate in South Africa has gone up to 34%.
As the country enters into its warm summer months, locals were hoping for an economic resurgence with tourism playing a key role in kickstarting the economy.
With more and more countries placing South Africa on a travel ban list, those hopes seem to have been dashed.
