The detainees were handed over to the Public Security Directorate. GGD took the couple to a hospital isolation site. The Public Prosecution Office will investigate whether evading the quarantine obligation is punishable.

The new infectious alternative

A total of 61 passengers who arrived in Schiphol from South Africa on Friday have been tested positive for coronavirus by GGD. The omikron type of coronavirus has so far been found in 13 people. These people were immediately placed in quarantine, mostly in a hotel in Badhoevedorp.

or the couple who ran away From the hotel the new alternative was unknown. It is also not known how they passed passport control and where they wanted to go.

Much more than infection

Since the omikron variant is known to debut in South Africa, it is fully available on deck, also in the Netherlands. The variant is said to be much more contagious than the previous variants.

Security and police are guarding the hotel as South African travelers who have tested positive are isolated. The hotel’s private security officers ensure that guests who have to remain in isolation adhere to this as well, says a Kenmerland Safety District spokesperson.

Outside the police and the Marechaussee ensure that no one enters the hotel who has no business there and arrange that other guests can enter and leave the hotel without inconvenience. “The security is there for a reason,” the spokesman said when asked if action should actually be taken to keep travelers who tested positive for the virus in their rooms. It is not known how the couple managed to leave the hotel.

danger to public health

Travelers are initially required to adhere to isolation rules, only if they do not, a commitment is imposed. The security district cannot say how many infected South African travelers remain at the hotel, but outgoing Minister Hugo de Jong (Public Health) said this afternoon that a ‘significant portion’ of the infected passengers are still staying at the hotel.

The security area says that security will also remain there as long as the guests are in isolation in the hotel. No one can go home and stay in isolation there unless there is a “protected move”.