Zimbabwe reported a sharp rise in coronavirus infections despite measures to stem the spread of the virus, a day after it identified its first case of the new Omicron variant, AFP reported.

It announced 1,042 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, compared to just around 20 two weeks ago. After South Africa alerted the world to the new strain of Covid-19 last week, dozens of countries imposed travel bans on southern Africa, including Zimbabwe.

South Africa led a chorus of criticism over the bans, but Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa instead imposed his own restrictions.

On Tuesday, he required a 10-day quarantine for all arrivals in the country, extended a night-time curfew, and required proof of vaccination to visit bars or clubs.