Major countries are tense over the emergence of a new COVID-19 mutation 'Omicron', and hastily suspend traffic to and from South Africa, where it was first reported.
Still, as tensions in each country increased amid the rapid spread of Corona 19 ahead of winter, a new mutant that was estimated to have more contagious power appeared, and the stock markets and oil prices of each country were also severely hit.
President Joe Biden announced on the 26th (local time) that the United States will restrict the entry of travelers from South Africa and neighboring countries from the 29th.
This is a method that restricts entry except for nationals and permanent residents.
The travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. include eight countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi, with more to come.
Canada plans to close its borders to travelers from these countries.
The European Union (EU) announced that 27 member countries all agreed to similar travel restrictions, and the UK and Russia also announced measures such as blocking flights from South Africa and neighboring countries, bans on entry other than their own nationals, and quarantine.
Asian countries such as Singapore, India, Japan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, Middle Eastern countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and South American countries such as Brazil are also beginning to control borders on neighboring countries in South Africa one after another.
Australia is said to be moving forward with a compulsory quarantine for travelers from South Africa.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has also postponed the ministerial meeting scheduled for the 30th in consideration of travel restrictions in each country following the advent of Omicron.
The intention is to buy time by controlling borders and minimizing movement until a full analysis of Omicron is available.
South Africa's health minister, Joe Pala, called the measures "unfair" and "exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) standard or normal range."
The Omicron mutation became known when South African scientists reported the discovery of a new mutation, 'B.1.1.529', that caused 32 genetic mutations in the spike protein.
It was first discovered in Botswana, Africa, and is spreading in South Africa.
Following Hong Kong, it was confirmed in Israel and Belgium on the same day.
In Hong Kong, the possibility of a secondary infection is being discussed.
According to Newsweek, as of the 25th, the number of confirmed cases of Omicron mutation is 87, including 77 in South Africa, 6 in Botswana, 2 in Hong Kong, 1 in Israel and 1 in Belgium.
However, as the number of confirmed cases of Omicron infection in South Africa has reached 990, the number is likely to rise sharply.
The World Health Organization (WHO) held an expert meeting on the same day and named this mutant Omicron and classified it as a 'variant of concern'.
This is the highest level of classification, such as delta variation.
"Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection when compared to other variants," the WHO said.
Viruses are 'spike proteins'mutations in the spike protein possessed by Omicron can mean a large change in propagation power.
It can also have a significant impact on the effectiveness of vaccines.
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) also urged countries to urgently implement travel restrictions and expansion of booster shot vaccinations, saying, "The transmission power is large, and it can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine and increase the risk of reinfection."
As Europe recovers from lockdown due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 ahead of winter, the emergence of omicron mutations has also severely hit the global asset market.
Global stock markets celebrated 'Black Friday' today.
On the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.53%, the biggest drop since October 28 last year, and European stocks also plunged more than 4%.
In particular, the stock prices of cruise operators and airlines collapsed nearly 10% in one day due to the chilled travel demand, fueling the decline in the indexes of major stock markets.
The crude oil futures market was also hit hard.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in January next year fell 13.06% ($10.24) per barrel to close at $68.15, giving up the $70 level.
It is the biggest one-day drop since March 2020.
At one time, recovery in travel demand and energy shortages pushed the price of crude oil to $83.36 a barrel (October 26), but the rise of the Omicron mutation has dampened the uptrend.
On the London ICE Futures Exchange, Brent crude for delivery in January next year also plunged 11.55% ($9.50) to close at $72.72 per barrel.
However, it will take at least a few weeks to fully analyze the impact of the omicron mutation.
The World Health Organization has said it will take "weeks" to analyze the new mutation.
Vaccine manufacturers such as Pfizer/BioNtech, Moderna, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), and Novavax analyzed Omicron and started reviewing whether to present a customized vaccine.