From Kent to the rest of Europe, the journey of the English variant of the virus

The first information was received on December 14 last with documents sent by the British government to thewho. Since then, a series of investigations have been initiated that, in a few days, have led to the current alarm related to the so-called English variant of the coronavirus. In Europe, above all, a series of measures have been taken to prevent possible infections, closing flights to and from Britain. It moves more dictated by panic than by a real condition of immediate danger. Because actually the Sars on 2 it has already undergone numerous mutations. And there are still many others to consider, at least according to experts.

Propagation in Kent

How did the identification of the new variant come about? Going back over the steps was thewho through a document published in the last hours. A diligence, that of the United Nations, perhaps justified by the fact that from the Geneva office there is a desire for redemption after the meager figures perpetuated a year ago. Faced with the first suspected cases of the appearance of a new coronavirus leaked from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the WHO shrugged. The first alarm was raised on January 30, however, the details were never revealed and, in fact, the Chinese government was applauded for the action to combat the virus. In this case, however, from Geneva they announced that the first notices from London arrived on December 14, from that moment on a ‘epidemiological investigation designed to trace the origin of the “new” virus. It was noted, in particular, that in a specific English region infections were increasing.

The region in question is that of Kent, In the south of england. From October 5 to December 13, coronavirus cases saw an unexpected increase: “On average, between 5 and 10% of all Sars-CoV viruses have been routinely sequenced in the UK since the start of the pandemic. -2 detected, 4% in the southeast of England – reads the document prepared by the WHO – In the period from October 5 to December 13, more than 50% of isolates were identified as a variant. ” , it was clear at the time that the genetic mutation of the virus had been established in the South London region. A retrospective analysis “then traced – the paper continues – the first variant identified in Kent, on September 20, 2020.” In November, the expansion of the variant experienced a new acceleration: “Most of the cases – concludes the WHO document – occurred in people under 60 years of age”.

The variant is already in Europe

As of Sunday, several governments have banned travel to and from Britain. In Kent, a long line of truckers has formed at the entrance of the ferries to France due to the strict regulations adopted by Paris. Standards that, however, appear to be unrelated to real needs. First of all, because the WHO document shows how the variant discovered in southern England is already found elsewhere. In particular, the mutation was also traced in some cases of infections found in Netherlands, in Denmark, in Iceland and also in Italy. Cases of VUI 202012/01 have also been found in distant Australia, this is the name that the British provisionally ascribe to the mutated virus. A sign of how the British borders have been largely overcome by the new variant.

In addition, the WHO indications are aimed at caution but they do not seem to report any more news with respect to what has already been said in previous months: “All countries must evaluate their level of local transmission and apply adequate prevention and control activities, including the adaptation of social and public health measures according to the WHO guide “, Read the document. Therefore, there are no specific indications, except those considered basic to stop the transmission of the virus:” Use of the mask – reiterates the organization – social distancing and hand washing. “In summary, even if the virus has changed, the measures that are already known have not changed.

The biggest contagion

The critical aspect of the variant was confirmed in the WHO document. This is the suspicion related to the possibility that the mutated virus is more contagious: “The variant is more transmissible than previous circulating viruses, with an estimated increase in transmissibility of between 40% and 70%,” the organization admitted. But this does not mean more aggression. This was reiterated by the president of Aifa Giorgio Palù: “The data on the English variant of the coronavirus appeared on a computer site by a group of British researchers – read their statements made to RadioUno – but in addition to the genomic and computer analysis that suggests that this virus has characteristics that make it more contagious, behind no there is biological or chemical data that justify that this virus is more aggressive, more virulent, even more lethal. These data are simply not there. “