The Netherlands will enter lockdown from Sunday

The Netherlands will enter lockdown from 5am on Sunday.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte made the announcement on Saturday in response to the omicron variant.

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The Netherlands will enter lockdown from Sunday at 5am.

Schools, bars, restaurants, and non-essential shops will be closed until mid-January, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Saturday.

“I stand here tonight in a sombre mood. And a lot of people watching will feel that way too,” Rutte said in a press conference, according to the BBC. “To sum it up in one sentence, the Netherlands will go back into lockdown from tomorrow.”

Residents only will be permitted two visitors except for Christmas and New Year’s, when four will be allowed, he said.

There is already a curfew in place that requires hospitality and entertainment venues to close at 5pm.

The Netherlands is not the only European nation to implement restrictions and issue warnings as omicron sweeps across the continent.

Paris cancelled its New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Denmark closed theatres, concert halls, amusement parks and museums.

Ireland imposed an 8pm curfew on pubs and bars and limited attendance at indoor and outdoor events.

In the UK, London mayor Sadiq Khan declared a major incident as omicron cases across the country surged to over 10,000.

The World Health Organisation reported on Saturday that the omicron variant has been detected in 89 countries, and Covid-19 cases involving the variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abroad.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.