The World Health Organization's Special Envoy on COVID-19 David Nabarro on Friday said, "the virus looks like it will have a greater capacity to evade the defenses that we've all built up as a result of the vaccinations we've received since the beginning of this year."

France suspended all incoming flights from southern Africa for 48 hours, French Health Minister Olivier Veran told journalists on Friday after a new coronavirus variant was detected in South Africa and other countries.

Japan will tighten border controls for people arriving from six African nations from midnight (1500 GMT on Friday) after the new coronavirus variant was first detected in South Africa.

Israel has reported a first case of the new heavily mutated COVID-19 variant known as B.1.1.529 that was detected in South Africa and other countries.

A new COVID-19 variant known as B.1.1.529 has been confirmed in Belgium, Belgian Minister of Health and Social Affairs Franck Vandenbroucke said on Friday.