UPDATED: Norway detects its first 2 cases of Omicron variant, municipality says

Norway has identified its first two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, the west coast municipality of Oeygarden said on Wednesday.

The two people who were infected had been on a trip to South Africa. Both of them were currently recovering from the infection, mayor Tom Georg Indrevik said in a statement.

Norway on Friday decided to impose a quarantine on any travellers arriving from South Africa or neighbouring countries, following a similar decision by neighbouring Denmark and many other countries around the world.

The new variant has caused concern as its mutations could potentially reduce the effect of vaccines, though it would take weeks to determine that. 

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche)