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Three new variants of COVID-19 have been detected in recent weeks, leading to increased surveillance around the world, as officials say a variant found in the UK could be up to 70 percent more transmissible. .
However, so far neither variant has proven to be more fatal, or more likely to evade vaccines or treatments.
A new variant was first reported in the UK on December 14. Called VUI-202012/01 (the first variant under investigation in December 2020), it is believed to have first appeared in mid-September.
Some experts call it the B117 lineage and it has quickly become the dominant strain in COVID-19 cases in many parts of the UK.
Last week, South Africa reported another new strain that appears to have mutated more than the UK variant.
Known as 501.V2, this variant is dominant among confirmed new infections in South Africa.
On December 24, the head of Africa’s disease watchdog said that another strain of COVID-19, known as P681H, was identified in Nigeria.
It’s from a separate lineage from the other mutations, but it doesn’t appear to be spreading as fast as the other two new variants.
Below is a list of countries that have reported cases of the new coronavirus strains so far.
Australia
On December 21, Australian health officials said that two people traveling from the UK arrived in the country with the new strain.
Denmark
The World Health Organization reported that nine cases of a new variant were detected in Denmark.
Canada
Health officials in the Canadian province of Ontario reported on December 26 the first two cases of the country’s COVID-19 variant first discovered in the UK.
The cases are a couple in Durham, a region east of Toronto, with no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts, the province said. They are in self-isolation.
France
On December 25, France detected its first case of a new variant in a French citizen returning from the British capital on December 19.
He had no symptoms and was quarantined at his home in the central city of Tours.
Italy
On December 23, Italy registered the second case of a new strain of the new coronavirus near the central city of Ancona, but the patient had no direct contact with the United Kingdom, where the variant first emerged.
Laboratory director Stefano Menzo told Italian news agency ANSA that it was not the strain first detected in the UK.
The country had already detected that new strain of COVID-19 on December 20 in a person who recently arrived from the UK. The patient landed at Rome’s Fiumicino airport and is now in quarantine.
Japan
On December 25, Japan reported its first five cases of the fast-spreading variant in passengers arriving from the UK.
Jordan
The country’s health minister said on December 27 that Jordan had detected its first two cases of the new variant of the coronavirus that has been spreading rapidly in parts of Britain, in travelers who recently arrived from the UK.
Lebanon
In Lebanon, the country’s acting health minister said on December 25 that a case of the new variant was detected on a flight arriving from London.
Middle East Airlines Flight 202 arrived on December 21, Hamad Hassan said, urging all passengers on the flight and their families to take precautionary measures.
The Netherlands
On December 22, Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said that the new variant identified in the UK was found in two cases in the Amsterdam area.
Nigeria
On December 24, the head of Africa’s disease watchdog said that a new variant of the new coronavirus emerged in Nigeria.
The variant was found in two patient samples collected on Aug.3 and Oct.9 in Nigeria’s Osun state, according to a working research document seen by The Associated Press news agency.
Singapore
Singapore confirmed its first case of the new variant of the coronavirus found in the United Kingdom on December 24.
Among the 31 COVID-19 patients who arrived between Nov.17 and Dec.17, one was confirmed to be a carrier of the B117 strain, while 11 others were preliminarily infected and their confirmatory results are pending, he said. the Singapore Ministry of Health.
Spain
Spain reported its first four cases of the new variant on December 26. All four infections were related to travel to the UK, said deputy regional health director Antonio Zapatero.
There are three other suspected cases of the coronavirus variant, but the test results will only be available on Tuesday or Wednesday, Zapatero said.
South Africa
South Africa reported last week a new strain of COVID-19 that appears to have mutated more than the UK variant. It has reached several countries, including the UK.
Known as 501.V2, this variant is dominant among confirmed new infections in South Africa and appears to be more infectious than the original virus, according to health officials and scientists leading the country’s virus strategy.
South Korea
South Korean officials reported on December 28 that the new variant was detected in a family flying into the country from London on December 22, according to the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency (KDCA).
All three have been in isolation since testing positive.
Sweden
The new variant of the coronavirus circulating in the UK was detected in Sweden after a traveler from the UK became ill upon arrival and tested positive, the Swedish Health Agency said on December 26.
Health Agency official Sara Byfors told a press conference that the traveler, who was not identified, was kept in isolation after arriving in Sweden and that no further positive cases had been detected so far.
Norway
On December 28, Norway said that the variant circulating in Britain had been detected in two people who arrived from the UK in early December.
UK
On December 14, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that more than 1,000 cases of a new variant of the coronavirus had been found, predominantly in southern England.
On December 23, Hancock said the country found two cases of another new coronavirus variant linked to South Africa.
“They are both contacts for cases who have traveled from South Africa in recent weeks,” Hancock told a news conference.
India
On December 29, Indian health authorities said they had found six people who had returned from Britain in recent weeks and had tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus.
The six patients have been kept in isolation, the Indian Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. “His close contacts have also been quarantined,” the statement said.
Pakistan
On December 29, Pakistan said it had detected three cases of the new coronavirus strain in travelers who had returned from Britain.
“Genotyping showed a 95 percent match with the new UK variant,” said Meeran Yousuf, a spokesman for the Sindh health department.
“These samples will go through another genotyping phase,” he said, adding that the contact tracing of these travelers is in process and their contacts are also being isolated.
Karachi (12/29/2020): Samples from 3 UK returnees show a 95% match with the new UK Corona virus variant in the first phase of Genotyping. #SindhSalud pic.twitter.com/4UUTSMTOQa
– Department of Population Health and Welfare, Sindh (@SindhHealthDpt) December 29, 2020
Chile
On December 29, Chile said it had registered its first case of the British variant of the coronavirus, prompting health authorities to reinstate a mandatory quarantine period for all visitors entering the South American nation from abroad.
The Chilean Undersecretary of Health, Paula Daza, said that a Chilean woman who returned to her country of origin on December 22 tested positive for the variant. He had traveled to London to visit his family.
Switzerland
On December 29, Switzerland documented five cases of the variant in Britain and two cases of the South African mutation, a Health Ministry official said, adding that it anticipates more cases will emerge.
U.S
On December 30, the US state of Colorado recorded what is reportedly the first US case of the infectious variant of the coronavirus.
“Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK,” State Governor Jared Polis tweeted.
Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK.
The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will monitor this case, as well as all COVID-19 indicators, very closely. pic.twitter.com/fjyq7QhzBi
– Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) December 29, 2020
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