A new variant of Coronavirus, B.1.1,529, has been detected in South Africa.
Variant B.1.1.529 has an “extremely high” number of mutations and “we can see that it has a very high propagation potential,” said Virologist Tulio de Oliveira.
The concern in South Africa is maximum since the number of daily infections in this country, the most punished of the continent by the pandemic, has multiplied by ten from the beginning of the month.
Total figures: 5,121,100 cases of confirmed coronavirus with diagnostic test of active infection;
There have been 87,931 dead with positive test as of November 24, 2021.
Coronavirus infections remain stable in India for weeks, with 10,549 new cases this Friday, but the detection of a new variant by the health authorities of South Africa has made the Indian government request a “rigorous” control of passengers.
“It has been reported that this variant has a significantly high number of mutations, and therefore it is a serious involvement for public health (India),” said Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter addressed to States
and collected by the local PTI news agency.
Scientists and health authorities from South Africa confirmed last Thursday the detection of a new variant of the Coronavirus, identified as B.1.1,529, with several cases also detected in neighboring Botswana and Hong Kong.
A new variant of Coronavirus, potentially more contagious and with multiple mutations, has been detected in South Africa, which can face a new pandemic wave, according to scientists.
In fact, the number of daily infections in this country, the most punished of the continent by the pandemic, has multiplied by ten from the beginning of the month.
Variant B.1.1.529 has an “extremely high” number of mutations and “we can see that it has a very high propagation potential,” the Virologist Tulio de Oliveira declared during an online press conference of the Ministry of Health.
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His team from the KRISP Research Institute, which belongs to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, discovered the beta variant, very contagious too.
Three the announcement, the British Government announced that it forbade travel with South Africa and five neighboring countries (Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Botswana) before the fears that the variant is even more contagious than the delta.
