(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand will ban entry to travelers from nine Southern African countries from the start of next week, other than returning citizens, in an attempt to stop the spread of the new Covid-19 variant.

“The government is taking a precautionary approach in treating South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique as very high risk countries to reduce the chance of omicron entering New Zealand,” Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said in a statement on Saturday. 

“This means that from 11:59 p.m. Sunday 28 November only New Zealand citizens from these countries will be able to come here,” the minister said.

New Zealanders returning from those nine African counties will be required to undergo testing and a 14-day managed isolation period, he said.

The new Covid-19 variant hasn’t entered New Zealand yet, Hipkins said.

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