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A potentially more infectious new variant of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has been found in Britain with links to South Africa. South Africa’s health department said last week that a new genetic mutation in the virus had been discovered and that it could be responsible for a recent spike in infections in the UK.
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.
Close contacts of those with the new variant and all those who have been to South Africa in the last fortnight, or were in close contact with someone who had, should be quarantined, said British Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Immediate restrictions on travel from South Africa were being imposed, he added.
However, World Health Organization officials said the variant is different from one identified in Britain, although both have mutations that make them more transmissible than previously circulating dominant strains.
Tough lockdown conditions were imposed on the UK as the country grappled with another daily record of new infections at 39,237. Another 744 people died of coronavirus in the past 24 hours.
Here are some of the tips on the new coronavirus mutant found in South Africa and what we know so far about the variant as reported by the Hindustan Times.
Tips on the mutated variant of COVID-19 from South Africa
– Two cases belonging to this new category have been found in the UK, confirmed British Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
– In both cases, the patients came into contact with those who traveled from South Africa in recent weeks.
– South Africa had detected the mutation before. It reported last week that scientists have found a new genetic mutation that could be responsible for the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in South Africa.
– This South African variant is more transmissible than the UK variant, said the British health secretary, as this variant has mutated more than the UK variant.
– The variant has been named 501.V2, South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Twitter.
– Younger people without comorbidities are being infected by the new variant.
– The new variant was discovered through routine surveillance in South African laboratories. Initially, the variant was limited to coastal regions, but has now moved inland.
– Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Israel and Mauritius have banned flights from South Africa.
– The South African variant can allow the virus to better bind to and enter cells than previous variants, so the transmission rate is higher, scientists told The Guardian.
– South Africa reported a sudden increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in January. The new variant is believed to be the reason behind.
