UK Identifies Another New ‘Even More Transmissible’ Variant of Covid-19 Related to Travel from South Africa

Updated 32 minutes ago

The UK is imposing travel restrictions on people arriving from South Africa after two cases of another new variant of Covid-19 associated with travel from South Africa were detected.

In South Africa, researchers have identified a severe variant of the coronavirus, variant 501.V2, which could explain the rapid spread of a second wave affecting the very young.

It shares some similarities to the dominant UK strain that is causing concern, but is believed to have evolved separately.

Speaking at a Downing Street briefing this afternoon, he said two cases of the variant have been identified.

“We have detected two cases of another new coronavirus variant here in the UK, both are case contacts who have traveled from South Africa in recent weeks,” he said, adding that UK scientists have been in contact with their counterparts. from the south. Africa.

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. We have taken the following actions. First, we are quarantining cases and close contacts of cases found here in the UK. Second, we are imposing immediate restrictions on travel from South Africa. And finally, and most importantly, anyone in the UK who has been to South Africa in the last fortnight, and anyone who has close contact with someone who has been to South Africa, in the last fortnight must immediately quarantine themselves.

On Monday, Switzerland imposed an entry ban on arrivals from Great Britain and South Africa and ordered a retroactive quarantine for all arrivals from the countries since December 14.

A large number of countries, including Ireland, currently have travel bans in Britain due to the new variant of Covid-19 spreading there.

Speaking about the transmissibility of the new ‘South African variant’, Dr Susan Hopkins from Public Health England said they are ‘still learning about it’.

“They both appear to be more transmissible, we have more evidence on transmission of the UK variant because we have been studying it in great detail with our academic partners, we are still learning about the South African variant.” she said.

Level 4

The announcement about the new variant came when Hancock announced that millions more people in England will be confined from December 26 due to the “dangerous rate” of spread of the coronavirus.

The areas moving to the more difficult Level 4, where there is a stay-at-home request, from St Stephen’s Day are: Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, and parts of Essex that are not yet on Level 4

The changes mean that an additional six million people will be at Level 4 within three days, 24 million people in total or 43% of England’s population.