This new COVID strain which was first discovered in the United Kingdom in September, is said to be 70% more transmissible from the novel coronavirus disease
At least 10 people in Uttar Pradesh have tested positive for the new UK strain of Coronavirus and 3 among them are from Noida. Further, 1 person has tested positive in Meerut, Bareilly, and three in Ghaziabad. All individuals who tested positive for this new strain had recently returned from the United Kingdom.
All officials and hospital staff in the state have been directed to take extra precautions amid new coronavirus strain, as per a report by HT. Further, health authorities have also ordered that people who have returned from abroad should be told to remain in home quarantine for 28 days, even if their RT-PCR report comes negative.
The strain has already reached a number of countries, including Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, prompting more than 50 countries, including India, to impose travel restrictions on the UK. Considering the situation, Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Wednesday that the Centre has extended the temporary suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom till January 7, 2021.
Meanwhile, officials in India are trying to identify and locate people who have recently travelled from the UK.
What is this new COVID strain?
This new COVID strain which was first discovered in the United Kingdom in September, is said to be 70 percent more transmissible from the novel coronavirus disease, triggering fear and panic across the world.
The new variant, which scientists have named “VUI 202012/01” includes a genetic mutation in the “spike” protein that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus uses to infect human cells. According to a British study, the strain is 50 percent to 74 percent more contagious. However, the good thing is that European Union experts believe that the current vaccines against COVID-19 will be effective against the new strain of the virus.
As per an AFP report, chiefs of BioNTech and AstraZeneca have also said that it is likely that their company’s vaccine will be effective against the new virus.
