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FILE PHOTO: A woman wears a protective mask as she walks past a banner promoting prevention against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Hanoi, Vietnam, on July 31, 2020. REUTERS / Kham
HANOI – Vietnam detected its first imported case of the new variant of the coronavirus that is spreading rapidly through Britain, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.
The variant was detected in a 44-year-old woman returning to Vietnam from Britain, who was quarantined upon arrival and confirmed positive for the virus on December 24, the ministry said in a statement.
“The researchers ran genetic sequencing on the patient sample and found that the strain is a variant known as ‘VOC 202012/01,'” he said.
The variant includes a genetic mutation that, in theory, could make the virus spread more easily between people.
Countries around the world have cut travel links to Britain to stop the spread of the new variant, which scientists say is 40-70% more transmissible than the original virus.
Vietnam is still operating repatriation flights to bring its citizens trapped in the UK home amid the pandemic.
With strict quarantine and monitoring measures, Vietnam quickly contained the coronavirus outbreaks, allowing economic activity to recover faster than in much of Asia. It has registered 1,474 infections, with 35 deaths.
/ MUF
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