As authorities right around the world work to understand the nature of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant, it has been revealed that it arrived in Europe much earlier than previously thought

Omicron was identified in two test samples taken in the Netherlands between the 19th and 23rd of November, which is before South Africa first reported the strain.

It is still unclear whether the individuals who returned these positive tests had actually spent any time in southern Africa before touching down in Europe.

Authorities believed the two flights that arrived from South Africa on Sunday had brought the first Omicron cases to the continent.

Fourteen people on a plane to Amsterdam tested positive for Omicron.

However, despite all of this, the WHO says these cases do not outdate initial cases in southern Africa, with the Omicron variant first found in a specimen collected on 9 November.

Now, this all comes as the EU drug regulator announced on Tuesday that it could approve vaccines adapted to specifically target the Omicron variant within three to four months if needed

Speaking to the European Parliament, the European Medicines Agency’s executive director also believes existing shots would continue to provide protection.

Forty-two cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant have been confirmed in 10 European Union countries since the Omicron variant was first detected.

The exec says it is still unknown whether drugmakers will need to tweak their shots, but the EMA is preparing for that possibility.