KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Sunday notified a new travel advisory for Category-C countries after the emergence of a new COVID variant, Omicron. The CAA has enlisted 17 countries in the fresh travel advisory, South Africa, Hong Kong, Iraq, Namibia and Ukraine among them.

The passengers travelling from the category-c countries would require permission from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). “They would have to compulsorily provide evidence of full Covid-19 vaccination,” the CAA notified.

Omicron variant: Pakistan restricts travel from six southern African countries, Hong Kong

Pakistani citizens in the category-c countries can return home until December 05 without formal permission. A negative PCR test report, conducted 72 hours before travel, will be compulsory. Moreover, testing and quarantine rules will be applicable to the passengers on arrival to Pakistan, according to the travel advisory.

The discovery of a new coronavirus variant has triggered global alarm with a number of countries suspending travel from South Africa. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement said it was designating the variant, named omicron, as being “of concern”, a label only given to four variants to date.