Coronavirus Covid-19: Australia reports first case of South African virus variant

An extremely contagious variant of Covid-19 that authorities have called “extremely worrying” has reached Australia.

The mutant strain of the virus that originated in South Africa and has been spreading across the UK was identified in a traveler who returned and tested positive for COVID-19 in Queensland on December 22.

The woman’s positive test result was subjected to genome sequencing that was identified as 501.V2, which is believed to be more contagious than other strains.

The patient was transferred to Sunshine Coast University Hospital, said Queensland Health Director Dr. Jeanette Young.

The state recorded two cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, both identified in hotel quarantine and acquired abroad.

Dr. Young said it was “too risky” to allow interstate travelers to enter the state since the new strain had been discovered. It comes one day after a case of the British strain of the virus was registered in South Australia at a medical hotel.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said: “This will be the first positive case of the South African variant in Australia. We have seen other jurisdictions register a variant from the UK. But this is the first time that the South African has an opinion identified in Australia.. “

She continued: “The good news about this person is that they were in hotel quarantine at the time they were tested and have since been transferred to a hospital.”

Dr. Young added that the variant of the virus means the risk has increased.

“Unfortunately, the risk in recent months has increased. We are seeing more and more positive cases in people returning from abroad and now that we have these two variants that are quite concerning, they are developing in the UK and that variant has already spreading to other parts of the world, and the South African variant, increases the risk even more. “