Many countries are closing their borders as health experts continue to study the latest version of the coronavirus , the Omicron variant .
在衛生專家繼續研究最新的新冠病毒變種——Omicron變異株之際，許多國家正在關閉邊境。
On Monday , Japan became the latest country to ban all foreigners from entering the country .
週一，日本成為最新一個禁止所有外國人入境的國家。
Over the weekend , Israel and Morocco announced that the countries are closed to all international travelers .
上週末，以色列和摩洛哥宣布對所有國際旅客關閉國門。
Israeli citizens can come back to the country .
以色列公民可以回國。
But they will have to quarantine , even if fully vaccinated .
但即使已完全接種疫苗，他們也必須隔離。
Australia said it would delay reopening the country to international students and workers for two weeks .
澳洲表示，將把對國際學生和勞工重新開放國門的時間延後兩週。
The move came after the country reported its first cases of the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus .
此前，該國通報了首批新冠病毒Omicron變異株病例。
Across the world , the United States , Brazil , Britain and the European Union announced travel restrictions from eight African countries where the variant was first identified .
在世界各地，美國、巴西、英國和歐盟宣布對最早發現該變異株的八個非洲國家實施旅行限制。
The countries are South Africa , Botswana , Zimbabwe , Namibia , Lesotho , Eswatini , Mozambique , and Malawi .
這些國家是南非、波札那、辛巴威、納米比亞、賴索托、史瓦帝尼、莫三比克和馬拉威。
New cases of Omicron infection have since been identified in Hong Kong , Australia , Canada , and several European countries .
此後，香港、澳洲、加拿大和幾個歐洲國家都發現了新的Omicron感染病例。
We'll have to face this new threat just as we face those that come before it .”
我們必須像應對以往的威脅那樣應對這一新威脅。」
Variant of concern
值得關注的變異株
The health organization said Omicron “has a large number of mutations , some of which are concerning .”
該衛生組織表示，Omicron「有大量突變，其中一些令人擔憂」。
A mutation is a change in the genetic material of a virus .
突變是指病毒遺傳物質發生的變化。
The WHO added that early evidence suggests “an increased risk of reinfection with this variant , as compared to other VOCs .”
世衛組織補充說，初步證據顯示，「與其他值得關注的變異株相比，感染該變異株後再次感染的風險更高」。
Scientists still do not know whether the mutated versions could make it more dangerous .
科學家們仍不知道這些突變版本是否會使其更加危險。
But the WHO said , “There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants .”
但世衛組織表示：「目前沒有資訊顯示與Omicron相關的症狀與其他變異株不同。」
Dr . Angelique Coetzee , a South African doctor who was one of the first to identify Omicron , spoke to Reuters .
最早發現Omicron的人之一、南非醫生安潔莉克·庫切接受了路透社採訪。
She said that symptoms of the variant were not severe and could be treated at home .
她說，該變異株的症狀並不嚴重，可以在家治療。
It is also unknown whether currently approved vaccines or treatments will protect against the variant .
目前也不清楚已獲核准的疫苗或療法能否防禦該變異株。
Dr . Francis Collins is head of the U.S . National Institutes of Health .
法蘭西斯·柯林斯博士是美國國家衛生研究院院長。
But we don't know that ."
但我們並不知道。」
The companies said , if necessary , they expect to be able to ship a new vaccine against Omicron in about 100 days .
兩家公司表示，如有必要，預計能在約100天內交付一種針對Omicron的新疫苗。
The Pfizer vaccine uses mRNA technology which uses RNA genetic material to change cells .
輝瑞疫苗採用mRNA技術，利用RNA遺傳物質改變細胞。
Moderna is the maker of the other highly effective mRNA vaccine .
莫德納是另一種高效mRNA疫苗的生產商。
It said it is working on a booster designed to protect against several variants .
該公司表示，正在研發一種旨在防禦多種變異株的追加劑。
And Johnson & Johnson stated that it was already testing their vaccine against Omicron .
嬌生公司也表示，已在測試其疫苗對Omicron的效果。
Vaccines , however , are still not widely available in poor and developing countries .
然而，疫苗在貧窮國家和發展中國家仍未普及。
In Africa , where Omicron was first reported , only seven percent of the continent's 1.2 billion people have received the shots so far .
在最早通報Omicron的非洲，迄今為止該大陸12億人口中只有7%接種了疫苗。