South Africa Flights Also Banned by European Countries

The Netherlands, Germany, and Turkey were reported to have banned flights to South Africa on December 21, 2020, after a new genetic mutation of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was identified as responsible for a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. 

South African authorities believe that the 501.V2 strain is not the same as the virus variant recently found in the UK. DW reported South African scientists are studying if the COVID-19 vaccines will protect people against the country's new strain.