DUBAI: Saudi Arabia confirmed on Wednesday its first case of the Covid-19 Omicron variant on a passenger coming from Africa, state news agency SPA reported.

The passenger, along with those he was in contact with, has been isolated, SPA added. The spread of the latest strain comes as Saudi Arabia’s ban on direct travel from several countries ended, with the kingdom continuing to relax pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Travellers from six countries, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil and Vietnam, can now arrive in the kingdom without having to spend 14 days outside those countries before entering Saudi Arabia.