Amsterdam [Netherlands], November 27 (ANI/Sputnik): Coronavirus has been detected in 61 passengers from two KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flights arriving in the Netherlands from South Africa, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported on Saturday.

According to the broadcaster, the flights landed in Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on Friday, with all the passengers being kept there until late at night as everyone had to be tested for COVID-19 and wait for their results.

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Those tested positive will be put in a special isolated hotel at Schiphol or nearby, where they will have to stay for five or seven days, depending on whether or not they have symptoms.

It is not yet known what kind of variant they are infected with.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) identified on Friday the new South African strain as one of concern, as it is reported to carry a high number of mutations -- 32 -- which possibly makes it more transmissible and dangerous. The WHO has dubbed it Omicron, the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet.

On the same day, the Netherlands banned flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini until December 4 to prevent the spread of the new variant. (ANI/Sputnik)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)