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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, discussed in a teleconference with the main ministers of his government the actions that must be taken urgently, after it was confirmed that a new strain of Covid-19 could spread faster and lead to an increase in cases.
England’s health chief Chris Whitty said that while there was no evidence at this time that the new coronavirus variant had caused a higher death rate or affected vaccines, urgent investigations were underway to confirm whether or not.
“We have alerted the World Health Organization and continue to analyze available data to improve our understanding,” Whitney said in a statement.
“… The NERVTAG Advisory Group on Youth and Emerging Threats (NERVTAG) currently believes that the new strain may spread faster,” he said.
The government said Monday that the increase in cases in London and south-east England could be linked to a new, more contagious variant of the virus.
About at 6:00 p.m. Greek time Johnson will hold a press conference with Whitey and the government’s top scientific adviser, amid recommendations to announce urgent new measures in an effort to halt the surge in cases caused by the new Covid-19 mutation.
Yesterday, the country registered 28,507 new COVID-19 cases and 489 deaths, with the R index estimated between 1.1 and 1.2, which means that the number of cases is growing rapidly.
Johnson said yesterday that he hoped England would not have to enter a third lockdown after Christmas, but scientists warned that urgent action is needed to curb the virus.
Much of the country, including London, is currently at the top of a three-tier system aimed at stopping the spread. The Daily Telegraph reports that ministers can now announce travel restrictions between the southeast of England, including the capital, and the rest of the country.
“Failure to act decisively now will mean more suffering.” We must continue to question whether we are doing enough, whether we are acting fast enough, “Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies, said in a Twitter message. .
The opposition Labor Party notes that the three-tier system has failed to stop the spread of the virus.
“It has been clear for a few days that the virus is once again out of control in some parts of the country,” said Jonathan Asworth, a Labor spokesman.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ