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By Theolin Tembo 
3h ago
Cape Town – South African Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize criticized comments made by UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock about the SA Covid-19 variant as “more transmissible”.
Both Great Britain and South Africa are currently facing a second wave of Covid-19 cases, as new variants of the coronavirus have been discovered in both countries.
Mkhize has criticized Hancock for his comments during a press conference in the UK.
“Thanks to the impressive genomic capabilities of South Africans, we have detected two cases of another new coronavirus variant here in the UK,” said Hancock.
“They are both case contacts who have traveled from South Africa in recent weeks.”
Britain is already trying to curb the spread of a mutated strain of the virus that is up to 70% more transmissible, and more studies are underway on the new variant.
“This new variant is very concerning, because it is even more transmissible and appears to have mutated more than the new variant has been discovered in the UK,” he said.
Mkhize issued a statement on Christmas Eve stating that Hancock’s comments that the SA variant is a major factor in the second wave in the UK “are not correct”.
“There is evidence that the UK variant was developed earlier than the South African variant. To give historical context, on December 14, the UK informed the WHO that a variant had been identified and it dated back to September 20, 2020 in Kent, South East England, about a month before the South African variant appears have developed. ”Mkhize said.
“This variant has a mutation that occurs in a common site with the South African variant (501), although they are two completely independent lineages. The UK variant is believed to be driving the second wave that the UK is currently experiencing. “
Mkhize added that the UK variant has already been identified outside the UK, as reported by Professor Neil Ferguson, a leading British scientist who told the UK science and technology committee on December 23, 2020 that the evidence from Denmark suggests that ‘almost certainly’ the new variant of the virus identified in the UK is already found in the ‘vast majority, if not all’ European countries.
“We are also concerned that rhetoric is developing that the 501.V2 variant is more transmissible than the UK variant or may potentially cause more severe morbidity and mortality.
“This came from two samples collected from South African travelers’ contacts that tested positive for a SARS-COV-2 variant genetically identical to 501.V2.
“We have consulted with our genomics team who have assured us that there is currently no evidence that 501.V2 is more transmissible than the UK variant, as suggested by the UK Health Secretary.
“There is also no evidence that 501.V2 causes more severe disease or increased mortality than the UK variant or any variant that has been sequenced around the world,” Mkhize said.
“This, as well as other factors that influence transmissibility, is the subject of further investigation involving genomic researchers, epidemiologists, public health specialists, physicians, and other key stakeholders.
“There is no evidence that the SA variant is more pathogenic than the UK variant … Future research will also shed light on the question of whether the 501.V2 variant becomes resistant to the vaccines that have been developed.”
Mkhize said that the South African government is focused on collaborating and cooperating with the WHO and all affected nations in containment measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in general.
“Genomic surveillance is helping us tremendously to refine and improve our strategies as we learn more about the virus and its behavior.”
(Additional reporting by Kate Holton, Michael Holden and James Davey)
IOL and Reuters
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