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The British authorities announced today that they have identified two cases of another new strain of coronavirus, which is “very worrying” because it is “more contagious” and comes from the Republic of South Africa, a country with which travel restrictions are immediately introduced. reported AFP.
This new variant is very concerning because it is more contagious and appears to have mutated more than the new variant, which has already been identified in the UK, Health Minister Matt Hancock said.
Carriers of the virus who have traveled in recent weeks from South Africa and those who have been in contact with them have been quarantined, the minister added.
Anyone who has been to South Africa or has been in “close contact” with someone who has been there in the last two weeks should “immediately self-quarantine,” Hancock said.
The discovery of this new strain occurs a few days after receiving a new, older variant, which according to health authorities is more contagious. This mutation, which coincides with an increase in cases, has required restrictions in London and parts of south-east England over the past weekend and the severing of ties between the UK and some 50 countries, including France, paralyzing traffic to across the English Channel.
Minister Hancock also said that more areas in England will be placed under the highest degree of restrictions due to the coronavirus in a bid to stop the spread of the new version of Kovid-19, Reuters reported.
Hancock said that from December 26, large regions of southern England will join London and the surrounding areas in the fourth highest degree of danger, in which the restrictions are close to a total quarantine.
Essex, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Hampshire, West Sussex and Norfolk counties will be affected, TASS reported.
The fourth highest level of danger includes the closure of non-essential stores, hair salons and gyms, as well as previously closed restaurants, pubs and cafes.
People are advised not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary and to refrain from traveling in and out of the country. Entry and exit restrictions are also introduced for these areas.
Britain today announced a record 39,237 new cases of infection and another 744 deaths from Kovid-19 within 28 days of a positive test, Reuters reported.
Yesterday Britain announced 36,804 new cases of coronavirus and 691 died.
Meanwhile, four cases of the highly contagious new variant of the coronavirus, which appeared in Britain, have been identified in Israel, the Israeli health department announced today, cited by Reuters.
