Portugal announced this Friday, the suspension of flights to and from Mozambique starting Monday due to the emergence of the new variant of coronavirus B.1.1.529 detected for the first time in South Africa.

According to the Portuguese Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI), the decision follows the concerns and containment measures in the European Union, raised by the detection of a new variant in South Africa, potentially more infectious, which the World Health Organization (WHO) called Omicron.

"As part of the measures to combat the covid-19 disease pandemic applied to air traffic, the Government has determined the suspension of flights to and from Mozambique from 00:00 on Monday, November 29," reads the note from MAI.

Meanwhile, the MAI document also indicates that, as of today, Saturday, November 27, all passengers on flights from Mozambique (as well as from South Africa, Botswana, Essuatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe) are required to comply with a 14-day quarantine after entering mainland Portugal, at home or at a place indicated by the health authorities.