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The most widely spread variant of COVID-19 believed to be behind an increase in cases in England has been detected in Ireland and Northern Ireland, authorities say.
This relates to the coronavirus strain first revealed by Downing Street last week, called VUI-202012/01, not the second variant who has since been linked to contacts from South African travelers.
VUI-202012/01 has been in the Republic since at least the second week of December, based on data from samples taken last weekend, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said in a statement.
Officials in North Ireland They say only one case has been found so far, based on a handful of suspicious samples.
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‘Tears of relief’: Irish residents return home from the UK
On Saturday, data concerning the new variant saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancel christmas for millions of people in England after being informed that it was up to 70% more transmittable.
It has been especially present in London and south-east England, but is believed to have spread further and has been found in Scotland and Wales, as well as some continental European countries.
Northern Ireland is the latest UK nation to register a case.
The country’s health minister, Robin Swann, urged people to “avoid panic and complacency” ahead of a six-week lockdown starting on Boxing Day.
“This lockdown will only work if we all play our part fully – we strictly follow COVID regulations and public health councils and are extremely careful in everything we do,” he said.
“I urge everyone to review their plans for Christmas and be cautious. Just because you can do something does not mean you have to.”
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The vaccine is very likely to work in a variant
The Republic of Ireland banned arrivals from the UK in response to Johnson’s announcement, with all passenger ferries and flights banned until at least December 31, though “merciful flights“got some Irish citizens back home.
Around 30,000 people have traveled to the Republic from the UK in the last fortnight, mainly to see family over the Christmas holidays.
His health agency added that the emergence of the new strain is not solely responsible for the rise in infections in Ireland, which is also preparing for another lockdown.
NPHET said Ireland’s R number, the rate at which the virus is growing, is between 1.5 and 1.8, the highest since March.
“Every indicator of the disease is increasing and increasing rapidly. Our level of concern continues to rise,” Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said in a statement.
Starting Thursday, pubs, restaurants and some non-essential retail stores in Ireland will close in another closure, which could last several months; however, scientists fear that these restrictions may not be enough.
Philip Nolan, the head of Ireland COVID-19 The modeling group warned that daily cases will average around 2,000 unless stricter measures are taken.
“Given the nature of the measurements and our experience to date, it is difficult to see how that series of measurements would cause reproduction to drop back below 1,” he said.
It comes as the country reported 938 new coronavirus cases and another 13 related deaths on Wednesday.
Ireland has reported a total of 82,155 cases and 2,184 deaths since the pandemic began, according to figures being tracked by Johns Hopkins University.
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