BEIJING: China warned Tuesday that the fast-spreading Omicron Covid-19 variant would cause challenges in hosting next February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. Although China has largely quashed the coronavirus within its borders through travel restrictions and snap lockdowns, recurrent domestic outbreaks linked to the Delta variant have put the authorities on high alert. “I think it will definitely lead to challenges linked to prevention and control,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, adding that Beijing “appreciates the efforts by South Africa in offering timely information” on the v…