Germany to ban most travel from S.Africa over new Covid variant: minister

Germany will ban most travel from South Africa to halt the spread of a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations, acting Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday.

The new rules, starting Friday night, will affect South Africa and "probably neighbouring nations", Spahn said, with only German nationals allowed entry. They must quarantine 14 days upon arrival even if vaccinated. "The last thing we need now is an introduced new variant that causes even more problems," Spahn said.