Citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia are warned against travelling to 12 countries, including Armenia, due to the spread of the new coronavirus strain, Daijiworld reports.

The list of 12 countries also includes Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Libya, Venezuela, Belarus, Somalia and Congo.

The warning has been issued for the citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia due to the emergence of the new variant of the virus. People who wish to travel to said countries require prior permission, the country's authorities said.

Citizens residing in the countries where the pandemic is not under control are also required to register their information at the respective Saudi embassies.

The new Covid-19 strain was first detected in September. In November around a quarter of cases in London were the new variant. It is thought the variant either emerged in a patient in the UK or has been imported from a country with a lower ability to monitor coronavirus mutations. No case of the new variant has been registered in Armenia.