A new, potentially more contagious variant of the novel coronavirus has been discovered in the UK in South African-related cases, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, also announcing further swearing of England placed under its strict COVID-19 restrictions.
The South African health department said last week that a new genetic mutation of the virus has been detected and may be responsible for a recent rise in diseases there.
“Thanks to the impressive genomic potential of South Africans, we have discovered two cases of another new strain of coronavirus here in the UK,” Hancock told a media release on Wednesday.
“Both of them are informants of issues that have traveled from South Africa over the past few weeks.”
The UK is already trying to prevent the spread of individual strains of the virus found in the UK that could be up to 70 per cent more transmissible, with further studies being carried out.
“This new variant [from South Arica] it is very worrying, as it is still more mobile, and it seems to have moved beyond the new variant found in the UK, ”he said.
Susan Hopkins from Public Health England said the new variant in the UK is “very different from the variant in South Africa, there are different mutations.”
“They both seem to be easier to deliver. We have more evidence disseminated for the UK diversity as we have been exploring that in detail with academic partners. We are still learning about the South African variety. “
She reiterated that vaccines that have already been developed should be effective “because the vaccine produces a strong immune response and is widespread and works against many differences in the virus ”.
Travel restriction
Hancock announced travel restrictions on flights from South Africa as a result of the new pressure.
The Health Minister said everyone in the UK who received a contract of the South African variety was quarantined, as well as the close link.
In addition, Hancock said the government was also asking anyone who has been in close contact with someone who had been in South Africa in the past two weeks to quarantine.
People walk and cycle in London [Hannah McKay/Reuters]
“They have to stop all communication with anyone else,” he said.
Haru Mutasa, reporting from Johannesburg, said that South Africa gets an average of just under 10,000 new diseases per day.
“South African officials say they warned the UK about this new variant last week,” she said.
“They say it is spreading faster and could be dependent on the second wave (South Africa) that is currently suffering. It was identified in the Kwazulu-Natal area of the eastern cape district and Garden Route, which is the Cape Town area. “
At the same time, more than 50 countries have imposed their own travel restrictions on the UK, including France.
More local loops were announced
In response to a high number of coronavirus cases, the UK imposed a series of restrictions across the regions affected on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Hancock announced further coronavirus-related restrictions across England, citing an increase in cases.
Hancock said that from December 26, many more parts of the south of England would also be subject to the highest level of social mix restrictions, joining the 16 million already in Stage 4, while in which other areas across the country that are in lower levels would also face tighter loops. .
The UK reported nearly 40,000 new infections on Wednesday, with the number of recorded deaths coming in at 744, the highest number since April.
With over 68,000 deaths from the virus, the UK is one of the toughest countries in Europe.
Hancock said there were an average of 1,909 COVID hospitalizations per day, with 18,943 people currently hospitalized with the coronavirus, levels not seen since the peak of the first uprising in April.
Assig Baig of Al Jazeera, reporting from London, said questions are being asked about why the wider restrictions are not being introduced immediately.
“Certainly if it is [people] mixing and communicating internally on Christmas Day [in some tiers], that increases the risk of the disease being transmitted, ”he said.
“So why is the UK government waiting for the day after Christmas?” These are questions that are being asked of the UK government right now, and in fact they have not offered an answer. “