Several European nations and Australia have detected the new, faster-spreading breed of COVID-19. In South Africa, police believe that a new breed detected there isn’t exactly like the one in the UK.
A new strain of COVID-19 is sweeping across southern England and has caused controversy in continental Europe, resulting in a flurry EU states to issue travel bans on the UK in a bid to stop the mutation from spreading locally.
Over the weekend, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the fast-moving new variant of this virus was 70% more transmissible than present breeds and said it likely was that the driving force supporting a quick spike in new diseases in London and southern England.
The UK stressed, however, that public health authorities found no signs the mutation is more lethal or causes more severe illness — or that vaccines would be effective against it.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said on Monday that”timely attempts” to stop and control the spread of their new COVID-19 strain were necessary.
However, in addition, it noted that diseases with the mutations have already been reported in several European countries.
Peter Kremsner, director of Tübingen University Hospital, told DW he doesn’t find a reason to restrict traveling to or from Britain.
“We should work together within our member countries and together to fight this outbreak. We can only internationally succeed to fight this devastating disease.”
European countries affirm cases
The ECDC explained a few cases with the new variant have been discovered in Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands. The bureau also cited media reports verifying instances in Belgium and Italy.
Dr. John Campbell, an unaffiliated health analyst based in the UK, told DW that though information about the strain only erupted over the weekend, it was initially identified in”late September” in the county of Kent in England.
“Because it’s been around since September, there’s also potential, it already is in European nations,” Campbell stated. “It does seem to be more infectious in terms of correlation, since the areas where the disease has been growing dramatically can also be the areas where the highest incidence of this mutation was picked up.”
Australia finds strain
Both individuals have been put in hotel quarantine.
Australia has seen instances in Sydney rise in recent days, but authorities do not feel the rise in infections comes in the newly detected mutation.
Dozens of domestic flights are cancelled, as the country is under renewed alarm.
South African mutation Differs
Over the weekend, travel bans were also imposed on South Africa, since it had been believed that the UK breed was also found there.
But South African health officials and scientists directing the country’s virus plan, the new variant, known as 501. V2, was distinct from the one in the UK.
Nonetheless, like in Britain, officials have said the mutation was driving the nation’s resurgence of the disease, with higher amounts of confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
South African scientists in the floor said they are studying if the vaccines from COVID-19 will also provide protection against the nation’s new strain.