South Africa’s new COVID variant has been detected in these countries; check list

Scientists have raised alarm over the new variant of Coronavirus detected in South Africa and have called it a “variant of concern” due to its high number of mutations. Presently, identified as B.1.1.529, the variant has also been detected in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel. The World Health Organisation technical group is scheduled to meet on Friday to analyse the new variant and might give it a name from the Greek alphabet.

Meanwhile, India's Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday, 25 November, said that the new variant has a “significantly high number of mutations and thus has serious public health implications for the country.”

South Africa

South Africa has detected a new variant B.1.1.529 in multiple samples in Gauteng. The country’s health department has stated that the new variant has a “high number of mutations'' which the authorities point out are “concerning for predicted immune evasion and transmissibility.” The South African authorities have stated that the testing labs in Gauteng have found a rapid increase in detection of the variant in other provinces of the country as well. South Africa has reported 77 Coronavirus cases of the new variant. 

Israel

Israel's health authorities have raised concern over the first case of the new COVID variant detected in the country. The Israeli who has been infected with the new variant had travelled from Malawi. Furthermore, the health ministry has revealed that two more people have been suspected of being infected with the new variant, who are right now in isolation. Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned that country is “on the threshold of an emergency situation” after authorities detected the country’s first case of a new coronavirus variant. The authorities have banned travel to and from most African countries.

Hong Kong 

Meanwhile, according to the New York Times, the Hong Kong govt on Friday said that it has detected two cases of the new Coronavirus variant. The virus was carried by a man who returned to the country from South Africa this month. Another man who was staying right across the hall in the same quarantine hotel also got detected with the virus.

Botswana

The first case was detected on 11 November. Botswana now has four cases of the new strain B.1.1.529. 

Belgium

Belgium has detected two cases of the new variant B.1.1.529 in the country. Belgium’s top virologist warned that the strain was “already in Europe”, reported The Daily Mail. The new variant reportedly contains mutations. 

India bans international flights

Meanwhile, the scheduled international flights to and from India will be resumed from December 15, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Friday. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year. However, special passenger flights have been operating since July last year under air bubble arrangements with around 28 countries.

The Civil Aviation Ministry wrote a letter to aviation regulator DGCA asking it to take "further necessary action" for the resumption of scheduled international flights.

Inputs from ANI, AP

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