Officially, a NEW Covid super-strain has been named “variant of concern”The WHO tonight, amid fears that it has already spread into the UK.
Dramatic footage showed passengers being barred from taking off from Amsterdam after arriving from South Africa, hours after Belgium confirmed that the first case had been made in Europe.
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Variant B.1.1.529 has been renamed Omicron and contains twice as many mutations to the delta strain. Experts are warning that it could put countries back in lockdown.
Now, it is known to be present in five countries following the detection of its first case by Belgium this afternoon. The case was caused by an unvaccinated person who returned from abroad.
In an effort to stop the strain that scientists have called the “theogenic strain”, the continent imposed a ban on passengers who flew from South Africa to the Netherlands. “worst variant ever”.
After taking a test, the pilots were allowed to leave their information with contact tracers and were then released.
Others have been travelling to the UK via South Africa from South Africa. “quarantined”Amsterdam Airport, as the travel ban deadline approaches
Around 150 passengers aboard a KLM flight claim that they were held onto the tarmac for approximately four hours before being moved into a holding area within the terminal building.
Some claimed that they were only given one sandwich and little information in eight hours.
One passenger was escorted by the Dutch military police and reported that there were scenes of violence between staff members and passengers over the matter.
Back in the UK, British arrivals from the variant’s epicentre Johannesburg were left to mingle with hundreds of others as they flew into Heathrow on the last flights out of Africa before the red list was re-imposed.
Passengers flying to Heathrow have admitted that they weren’t questioned or tested about their travel history.
Sajid Javid, the Health Minister, stated that there is a hunt underway to locate hundreds of South African travelers.
People who arrived from South Africa recently are being asked to get a free PCR testing as UK health officials discuss the urgent response to the new variant threat.
Angelique Coetzee is the South African Medical Association’s chairwoman. She said that it was too early for travel restrictions to be imposed.
“It’s a hasty decision,”According to her, the BBC was informed. “It would be understandable if it was two more weeks later, and we had much more information about the viral infection that is going on.”
“But, for now, it’s just a storm inside a teacup, and we have only been aware of this viral mutation… within the last week.
“So far what we have seen are very mild cases, so I’m not sure why we are all up in arms.”
“STORM IN A TEACHUP”
It’s happening as hospitals in the Netherlands prepare to receive a “Code Black”Covid may soon make it impossible to provide enough beds for all those affected.
Hugo de Jonge, the Dutch health minister, insisted that the country was still alive. “very far away”From code black – but Peter Langenbach (chairman of the Maasstad Hospital Rotterdam Board) disputes this.
Hospitals in Germany are crowded fast, so authorities have had to fly people who are seriously ill around Germany to get beds.
Professor Lothar Wieler, the head of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s federal disease control agency, said the nation was “at a crossroads.”
“We have one choice. Either we choose to go down the path of chaos and despair, or the one that benefits the health system and allows us to have a happy Christmas.
Germany is even considering making vaccines compulsory amid warnings from Angela Merkel the coming winter will be “worse than anything we’ve seen”.
Also, the terrifying variant is spreading throughout southern Africa. “more transmissible”Ministers from the UK have warned that more than Delta will reach Britain.
Mr Javid stated: “We are concerned that this new variant may pose substantial risk to public health. The variant has an unusual large number of mutations.”
He warned the strain combined elements of the Alpha, Beta and Delta super-strains that surged through Britain during the pandemic.
The Health Secretary also added early indications to show current vaccines “may be less effective against it”.
He said to MPs: “Nu”The definition of strain is “huge international concern”It could also be used to avoid our current vaccinations.
According to the WHO, the first case was reported on November 9, and the strain is more likely to infect people who have been vaccinated or who have survived Covid.
“HUGE INTERNATIONAL CONCERN”
The rest of Europe is exempted. “horrific”Israel’s health ministry has confirmed that one individual tested positive for mutation.
Today, the ministry released a statement stating that two more passengers were also in quarantine.
It stated that the patient was from Malawi, which borders Mozambique as well as Tanzania.
The fact that the patient had traveled back from Malawi suggests that the variant is moving through Africa.
Experts say there are at least 80 cases of this variant in South Africa.A surge in cases with some regions experiencing a six-fold increase in infections in a matter days.
The mutation has caused alarm across the country, as it has “spread rapidly” among Gauteng’s young population.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that the country was still collecting information about the variant.
“I ask everyone to be prepared and to fully join in the work around the clock”He added.
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