Omicron: More cases emerge in Europe as WHO warns of 'very high' global risk

Japan’s prime minister announced Monday that his country is taking the "exceptional" measure of shutting its borders to foreigners "until there is clearer information about the Omicron variant" of the coronavirus. 

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the closure is going into effect Tuesday and it's unclear how long it will remain in effect, while Japanese residents returning home from certain nations will need to quarantine, according to Reuters. 

"These are temporary, exceptional measures that we are taking for safety's sake until there is clearer information about the omicron variant," Kishida reportedly said.

"The overall global risk related to the new variant of concern omicron is assessed as very high," the WHO said, according to Reuters. 

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