The Latest: S. Africa doctor sees mild symptoms from omicron

Passengers arrive at Heathrow Airport in London, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A staff member draws up a syringe with the Pfizer vaccine at the launch of COVID-19 booster vaccinations campaign at the police vaccination centre in Mainz, Germany, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP)

A health worker shows an empty syringe after inoculating a woman with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine during the first day of a nationwide three-day vaccination drive at a school in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. There has been no reported infection so far caused by the new variant in the Philippines, a Southeast Asian pandemic hotspot where COVID-19 cases have considerably dropped to below 1,000 each day in recent days, but the emergence of the Omicron variant has set off a new alarm. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

People, some wearing face masks, walk in Regent Street, in London, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was necessary to take "targeted and precautionary measures" after two people tested positive for the new variant in England. He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Airport in London, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A passenger arrives at London's Heathrow Airport, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Police officers check the vaccination certificates of guests in a restaurant in Hannover, Germany, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. On behalf of the local authorities, the police are starting to patrol restaurants and other catering establishments in order to check the measures to battle the spread of the coronavirus. (Ole Spata/dpa via AP)

People pass through Waterloo train station, in London, during the morning rush hour, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Commuters walk through ticket barriers in Waterloo train station, London, after disembarking from a train, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Tourist visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. Thailand, starting this Wednesday, will ban visitors from eight southern African countries where the new COVID-19 variant omicron has been found. From Dec. 15, The kingdom will require arrivals from all other African nations to undergo a 14-day hotel quarantine upon arrival. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

A man lowers his mask to speak on his phone outside a restaurant in Beijing, China, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. As cases of a new coronavirus variant are confirmed around the world, an increasing number of countries are tightening their borders as fear spreads of yet another extension of pandemic suffering. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Students wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus leave their school after classes in Beijing, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. Despite the global worry, scientists caution that it's still unclear whether the omicron COVID-19 variant is more dangerous than other versions of the virus that has killed more than 5 million people. Some countries are continuing with previous plans to loosen restrictions, with signs of reopening in Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Airplanes sit on the tarmac at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. As cases of a new coronavirus variant are confirmed around the world, Japan announced Monday that it will suspend entry of all foreign visitors, joining an increasing number of countries that are tightening their borders as fear spreads of yet another extension of pandemic suffering. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A woman holds onto a cotton pad after being inoculated with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine during the first day of a nationwide three-day vaccination drive at a school in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. There has been no reported infection so far caused by the new variant in the Philippines, a Southeast Asian pandemic hotspot where COVID-19 cases have considerably dropped to below 1,000 each day in recent days, but the emergence of the Omicron variant has set off a new alarm. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A woman hold her arm after receiving Covishield COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Mumbai, India, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

A health worker fills a syringe with a vial of the Covishield COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Mumbai, India, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk along a street in Tokyo, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Residents wait to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines outside a school during the first day of a nationwide three-day vaccination drive in Quezon city, Philippines on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. There has been no reported infection so far caused by the new variant in the Philippines, a Southeast Asian pandemic hotspot where COVID-19 cases have considerably dropped to below 1,000 each day in recent days, but the emergence of the Omicron variant has set off a new alarm. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

People wear face masks as they walk, in Regent Street, in London, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was necessary to take "targeted and precautionary measures" after two people tested positive for the new variant in England. He also said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

People pass through Waterloo train station, in London, during the morning rush hour, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Passengers make their way through Johannesburg's OR Tambo's airport Monday Nov. 29, 2021. The World Health Organisation urged countries around the world not to impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concern over the new omicron variant. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Passengers walk from a COVID -19 testing tent at Johannesburg's OR Tambo's airport Monday Nov. 29, 2021. The World Health Organisation urged countries around the world not to impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concern over the new omicron variant. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A member of staff at Christmas tree pop-up store wears a face mask to curb the spread of COVID-19 as he arranges christmas trees in London, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said mask-wearing in shops and on public transport will be required, starting Tuesday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A man receives a dose of a vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccine centre, in Soweto, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. The World Health Organization has urged countries not to impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concerns over the new omicron variant. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

JOHANNESBURG — South African doctors say that the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases attributed to the new omicron variant cases is resulting in mostly mild symptoms.

Dr. Unben Pillay, a general practitioner in Gauteng province where 81% of the new cases have been reported, says he has seen a sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases in the past 10 days.

He said that so far the cases have been very mild cases, with patients having flu-like symptoms, dry coughs, fever, night sweats, a lot of body pains. He said most have been treated at home.

He also said that the vaccinated are faring much better than the unvaccinated.

The recent surge in South Africa has been among people in their 20s and 30s and doctors emphasize that COVID-19 symptoms are often mild in that age group.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

— Nations around the world seek to keep new omicron variant at bay even as it remains unclear what it means for the pandemic

— AP explains what is known and not known about the new COVID-19 variant

— Merriam-Webster chooses vaccine as the 2021 word of the year

— Why WHO skipped ‘nu,’ ‘xi’ for new COVID variant

— See all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will urge Americans to get vaccinated and to receive a booster shot as he seeks to quell concerns over the new COVID-19 variant omicron. But he won’t immediately push for more restrictions to stop its spread, his chief medical adviser said.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and Biden’s leading COVID-19 adviser, said there were still no cases of the variant identified in the U.S. but that it was “inevitable” that it would make its way into the country eventually.

Speaking on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Fauci said scientists hope to know in the next week or two how well the existing COVID-19 vaccines protect against the variant, and how dangerous it is compared to earlier strains.

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MADRID — Spain has imposed a 10-day mandatory quarantine for visitors coming from seven southern African countries, where omicron, a new coronavirus variant, was first been identified.

Spain’s move comes as more and more countries are imposing travel restrictions, even though much remains unknown about omicron.

The mandatory isolation affects travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe who arrive in Spain directly or with stopovers in other countries.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said that more than 200 nationals who were in the region and whose flights have been cancelled will be brought back to Spain on flights that are still operating to parts of Europe.

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TOKYO — Japan announced Monday it will suspend entry of all foreign visitors from around the world as a new coronavirus variant spreads.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the measure will take effect Tuesday.

The decision means Japan will restore border controls that it eased earlier this month for short-term business visitors, foreign students and workers.

Over the weekend, Japan tightened entry restrictions for people arriving from South Africa and eight other countries, requiring them to undergo a 10-day quarantine period at government-designated facilities.

Many countries have moved to tighten their borders after the new omicron variant of the coronavirus was found in a number of nations.

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LONDON -- Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there is evidence of local transmission of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus after the country reported its first six cases.

She told a news conference that not all the cases in Scotland had links to recent travel, adding that this suggests “there might already be some community transmission of this variant in Scotland.”

The new cases takes the U.K.’s total to nine after three cases were identified in England over the weekend.

The arrival of the variant on British shores prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tighten restrictions on mask-wearing and testing of international arrivals to England.

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ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan’s planning minister said a big vaccination campaign against coronavirus will be expedited this week to minimize the threat of the new variant.

Asad Umar warned that the new coronavirus variant known as omicron will inevitably come to the Islamic nation in the next few weeks, and he urged unvaccinated citizens to get their shots as soon as possible.

Umar said since the world is interconnected, it is impossible to stop the new variant from entering Pakistan.

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LISBON, Portugal — Portuguese health authorities said they have identified 13 cases of omicron, the new coronavirus variant believed to be more contagious, among team members of a professional soccer club.

The Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute said Monday that one of those who tested positive at the Lisbon-based Belenenses soccer club had recently traveled to South Africa, where the omicron variant was first identified.

The others, however, hadn't traveled to South Africa, indicating that this may be one of the first cases of local transmission of the virus outside of southern Africa.