South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in a televised speech on Sunday night said he's "deeply disappointed" by the travel restrictions some countries have imposed on southern African countries after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant.

Omicron, named a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO), was first detected in South Africa and has spread to more regions and countries including China's Hong Kong, Belgium, Israel and Botswana.

The UK, the EU and the U.S. are among those who have imposed travel bans.

Ramaphosa said these restrictions are "completely unjustified" and that southern Africa was a victim of "unfair discrimination." 

He called on countries with bans in place to "urgently reverse their decisions ... before any further damage is done to our economies."

"The prohibition of travel is not informed by science, nor will it be effective in preventing the spread of this variant," said Ramaphosa in the speech.

The WHO said in a statement on Sunday that the "travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of COVID-19 but place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods."

WHO's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, called on countries to implement restrictions based on a scientific approach and follow international health regulations. 

"The speed and transparency of the South African and Botswana governments in informing the world of the new variant is to be commended. WHO stands with African countries which had the courage to boldly share life-saving public health information, helping protect the world against the spread of COVID-19," Moeti said in the statement.

The agency said that it could take several weeks to find out whether the newly discovered mutations made the virus more virulent or transmissible.

South Africa's health ministry also condemned travel bans as unscientific and "draconian," contrary to the WHO's advice. 

"We believe that some of the reactions have been unjustified," Health Minister Joe Phaahla told a news conference on November 26.

"We feel some of the leadership of countries are finding scapegoats to deal with what is a worldwide problem," he said 

Comparing daily infections in South Africa and some European countries, the minister said the move "really doesn't look scientific."

Phaahla said it was ironic that "some of the countries ... now reacting in this draconian manner" had infection rates of upward of 50,000 per day. That compares to South Africa, which reported nearly 3,000 daily cases on Friday, up from around 300 daily cases two weeks ago. "That kind of reaction is knee-jerk and panic," he said.

(With input from AFP)