Posted: Nov 27, 2021 14:14 GMT
The two people, who would have been infected on a trip to southern Africa, have isolated themselves in their respective homes.
Sajid Javid, Secretary of Health of the United Kingdom, has confirmed two cases of the new Omicron variant of covid-19 in the country, as announced in a message published this Saturday through his official Twitter account.
“The UK Health Security Agency has informed us of two British cases of the Omicron variant,” reads the message, indicating that both They are connected and they are related to a trip to southern Africa.
It also details that the two people have isolated themselves in their respective homes while more tests are carried out and the people with whom they have recently been in contact are tracked to determine if they have also been infected.
“Fast forward”
“This is a rapidly moving situation and we are taking decisive action to protect public health,” continued Javid, explaining that as a precaution, additional targeted tests are being implemented in the affected areas (Nottingham and Chelmsford) and sequencing the positive cases.
Finally, the British minister specifies that from 4:00 (local time) this Sunday, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola will be included in the list of countries to those who are forbidden flyr, which already includes South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
“If you have returned from there in the last 10 days you should isolate yourself and have PCR tests. And if you are eligible for your booster dose, now is the time to get it,” concluded Javid.
New strain
Variant B.1.1.529 was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on November 24 from South Africa. According to the UK Health Safety Agency, this strain has a spike protein that is radically different from the original coronavirus on which the covid vaccines are based.
Previously, the British Secretary of Health indicated that the number of mutations in the B.1.1.529 variant “may be double what we have seen in the Delta variant.” “That would suggest that could be more transmittable and that the current vaccines that we have could be less effective, “summed up the senior official.
The WHO has recognized the strain, previously called B.1.1.529, as a “worrying variant”, with the aim of prioritizing monitoring and research on a global scale.
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