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LISBON – The new variant of the coronavirus linked to a rapid rise in infections in Britain has been detected on the Portuguese island of Madeira, the first cases of the most contagious variant to be found in the country since it emerged.
In a statement on Sunday, the regional civil protection authority said the new variant “was detected in travelers arriving in Madeira from the UK” but did not specify how many people were infected or when the cases were found.
“This identification was only possible thanks to the work carried out by the Madeira international airport control center that allows tracking, identifying and sending positive cases to isolation when they are detected,” he said.
Portugal, with just over 10 million people, has reported 6,619 deaths and a total of 394,573 infections, an increase of 1,577 cases from Saturday. After a relatively mild first wave, cases rose sharply in the second, although they have recently declined.
Initial analysis of the new variant showed that it did not make people sick any more and that the symptoms were not more severe, but it is believed to be more contagious than other variants currently circulating.
In response to the new variant and like other European Union nations, Portugal announced last week that it would close the borders to UK travelers, except those already registered as Portuguese residents and citizens living in the UK. United. – Reuters
