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Turkey has closed its doors to passengers in the UK since January 1, saying it has detected 15 cases of infections with the most contagious new variant to appear in the UK. All 15 cases were identified in travelers from the UK. Turkey thus becomes the 33rd country in which the new variant of the virus is found.
Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said in a press release that the 15 people infected with the new Covid-19 variant were isolated and that after epidemiological investigations, the people who came into contact with the infected were found and isolated.
After nationwide checks, the virus was found to be detected only in people from the UK, writes the New York Times.
The discovery of cases in Turkey brings to 33 the number of countries in which contagion with the new variant of Covid-19 was found, after the United Kingdom announced it on December 8, and to more than 40 the number of states that isolate Travelers from the Sea Kingdom.
Some countries impose restrictions on travelers, including US citizens, who in recent weeks have visited countries where the new version of Covid-19 has been detected. For example, the Philippines has extended travel restrictions to the UK and 18 other countries, adding the United States to the list after the virus was found in Florida, California and Colorado.
However, none of the infected people in the United States have traveled recently, raising fears about the spread of the new virus.
Why is it dangerous B.1.1.7.
The variant, known as B.1.1.7. It is dangerous not because it leads to more severe cases of Covid-19, but because of the increased risk of transmission, resulting in more infections and more hospitalizations at a time when many countries are already battling high levels of Covid-19. cases, especially in the context of end-of-year events, with more trips and more meetings of people.
List of countries that have identified infections with the variant it has grown rapidly and since Friday it also includes United States, United Kingdom, and Turkey: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Netherlands, Norway , Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Taiwan.
In South Africa, a similar version of the virus has appeared, which resembles B.1.1.7. According to the scientists who detected it, this South African variant, known as 501.V2, it was found in up to 90% of the samples whose genetic sequences were analyzed there since mid-November.
British authorities said they had detected two cases of the identified variant in South Africa. In both cases, the infected people have been in contact with people who have traveled to the UK from South Africa in recent weeks. Switzerland, Finland, Australia, Zambia, and France also detected this variant.
On December 24, the director of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, announced the discovery of a other variants, this time in Nigeria, called B.1.207.
Publisher: Georgiana Marina
