The European Union will propose banning travel from the southern Africa region. (File)

Brussels:

The European Union will propose banning travel from southern Africa following the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant that scientists fear could torpedo efforts to beat the pandemic, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

The EU’s executive “will propose, in close coordination with member states, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529,” Von der Leyen tweeted.

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