New even more infectious Covid variant from South Africa found in UK

An even more mutated variant of Covid-19 has arrived in the UK from South Africa where it is being blamed for a record number of people being hospitalised, Matt Hancock announced today.

The clearly worried Health Secretary ordered anyone in Britain who has been in South Africa in the last 14 days to quarantine immediately, as should close contacts of these individuals.

This self-isolation regime - which means no contact with anyone at all - would be enforced in law shortly, he added.

Travel restrictions have also been imposed with South Africa where the new variant is reported to be transmitting particularly fast among young people.

Two cases have already been detected in the UK, both contacts of cases who had travelled from South Africa over the past few weeks.

Mr Hancock said: “This new variant is highly concerning because it is yet more transmissible and it appears to have mutated further than the new variant that has been discovered in the UK.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London was this afternoon advising against all but essential travel to the whole of South Africa based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks.

Its website said: “South Africa is undergoing a second wave of Covid-19. Most new cases are caused by a new variant of Covid-19. The South African authorities have said that the new variant may be more contagious.”

BRITAIN-HEALTH-VIRUS
Two cases of the new strain have been found in the UK
AFP via Getty Images

The Health Secretary said both the two cases and close contacts of them have been quarantined, there are immediate restrictions on travel from South Africa and the Government is telling those who have in South Africa in the last fortnight - and anyone who is a close contact of them - that they must quarantine immediately.

“By quarantine, I mean they must restrict all contact with any other person whatsoever,” he added.

“We will be changing the law to give this legal effect imminently.

“These measures are temporary while we investigate further this new strain which is shortly to be analysed at Porton Down (laboratories).

The speed and drastic nature of the response highlighted the degree of concern that the Government has about the South African strain.

Britain’s medical and scientific chiefs had been in talks with their South African counterparts over the last 24 hours.

“We are incredibly grateful to the South African government for the rigour of their science and the openness and the transparency with which they have rightly acted as we did when we discovered a new variant here,” Mr Hancock added.

The South African strain is believed to be more widespread among younger people and to have a heavier viral load.

“It is still very early but at this stage, the preliminary data suggests the virus that is now dominating in the second wave is spreading faster than the first wave,” said Professor Salim Abdool Karim, the chairman of the South African government’s ministerial advisory committee.

Britain is dealing with its own concerning new strain of Covid which is believed to have originated in Kent and to spread more easily than other mutations.

Cases have soared recently in London and parts of the South East.

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