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LOOKING FOR MUTATIONS: In the FHI laboratory, the RNA of the virus is analyzed with gene machines. This is how they can detect mutations. Photo: Hanna Kristin Hjardar
The new variant of the South African virus, which may be more contagious than the British one, has been detected in travelers to Norway.
The virus mutation was detected Monday, according to the National Institute of Public Health.
The infected traveler from South Africa arrived in Norway in December. In addition, four more people have been identified as infected by the British virus mutation, all of them travelers from the UK.
– Infection detection teams in municipalities will now follow up according to current routines, with additional testing and closer follow-up of close contacts to reduce the risk of possible further spread, says department director Line Vold from the National Institute of Public Health in a press release.
There are currently 23 cases of the English variant and one case of the South African variant in Norway. According to FHI, both appear to be more contagious than the common coronavirus, but there is currently no indication that they present an increased risk of serious illness.
– These variants have been detected in several European countries, and there is reason to believe that the variants can also be found in countries where the virus genome is not examined and therefore mutations cannot be detected. As more countries start surveys of this type, we will get a better idea of the prevalence of this variant, explains Vold.
Britain has stopped all flights from South Africa
South African authorities announced the new mutation of the virus on December 18. By then, the virus had spread rapidly in three regions of the country.
The mutation is similar to the variant found in the UK, but it is not the same. The virus mutation can be much more contagious, but there is no evidence that it is more dangerous, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
British Health Minister Matt Hancock said early Monday that the South African virus mutation could be even more contagious than the recently discovered mutation in Britain.
– It’s a serious problem and a bigger problem than the UK variant, he says.
He is very concerned about the new mutation. Britain has stopped all flights from South Africa.
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I’m not sure what role they play in spreading the infection.
Currently, it is parts of England and South Africa that believe that the variants may have contributed to the rapid growth of the epidemic. Investigations are still ongoing to be able to say something more certain about this, writes FHI in the press release.
They explain that the South African variant has three changes in one area of the virus’s genes that cause changes in proteins that are important to the way the virus attaches to our mucous membranes. The British variant, for its part, has a change in this area.
Therefore, it has been questioned whether the South African variant may be more contagious than the English variant, writes FHI.
– There are reasons to be cautious, but at the same time it is not yet known what role the variants play in the spread of the infection, says Vold and continues:
– The usual measures against the epidemic, such as staying home when sick, conducting tests, monitoring infections and quarantine, maintaining distance and fewer participants in meetings, will also be important infection control measures against this variant. So far, no evidence has been reported that the effect of the vaccine has been affected.
