(Bloomberg) -- France is strengthening rules on travel to the country in a bid to contain the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday.

Travelers coming from outside the European Union will need to provide a negative test carried out in the 48 hours before entering France, even if they are vaccinated, Attal told reporters following a weekly cabinet meeting. 

EU travelers will be asked to provide a test done less than 24 hours before they arrive, only if they are not vaccinated.

“We are getting more worried by the day,” Attal said. “We are not panicking but we have to be as careful as possible.”

There are 13 suspected cases of people who could be infected with the omicron variant in France, according to Attal.

 

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