The World Health Organization has urged people to remain vigilant against spread of potentially more transmissible new Omicron coronavirus variant.

In a statement, the WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai said many countries are reporting detection of Omicron increasing daily.

He said that information suggests that Omicron may be more transmissible than other variants.

He warned that blanket travel bans can delay entry of the Omicron variant but will not prevent it.

The variant has now been found in 30 countries.

The US and several other countries have banned travel from eight southern African countries to keep the Omicron variant out of their shores.

In the United States, ten cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and in Hawaii.

President Joe Biden has unveiled stricter Covid-19 travel rules.

In Indian state of Karnataka, two men have tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant after returning from overseas.