Netherlands says omicron variant was within its borders a week before South Africa sounded the alarm

Dutch officials said Tuesday that they detected the omicron variant in samples collected almost two weeks ago, days earlier than the arrival of two flights from South Africa carrying infected passengers.

This is yet another indication that the potentially more contagious variant was already in the European Union when countries banned air travel from southern African countries to stop omicron’s spread.

So far, 44 cases of the omicron variant have been reported in 11 countries in Europe, the E.U.’s public health body said Tuesday. Austria, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands are among the countries where cases of the new variant have been confirmed.

More From The Washington Post (subscription required):