WASHINGTON- Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease official, said on Sunday he hopes the ban on travelers from southern African countries can be lifted in a "reasonable period of time" as more information is gathered on the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Fauci said on CNN's "State of the Union" program that U.S. authorities are mindful of the hardship the travel ban is causing in those countries and are constantly re-evaluating the policy.

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick) ((Matt.Spetalnick@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202 898 8300 ; Reuters Messaging: matt.spetalnick@thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))