Cases of a new variant of COVID-19 first detected in England have been confirmed by health officials in Canada, Japan and several other European Union countries.
Why it matters: Although there is no evidence that the variant is more deadly than the original strain, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that it could be 70% more transmissible has prompted dozens of countries to ban travel from the UK.
- The tension, called B.1.1.7, has caused an increase in cases that have left tens of millions of people in England and Wales locked up during the holidays.
- Some officials are concerned that it has spread unnoticed worldwide because few countries have the kind of sophisticated genomic surveillance that has enabled British scientists to find the variant, according to the New York Times.
What is happening: The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed the first two cases in North America of the new coronavirus strain on Saturday night in the province of Ontario.
- The agency said in a statement that these two cases did not travel outside Canada.
Officials in Japan On Saturday, the country closed its border from midnight to 31 January from midnight to 31 January to all foreign nationals of non-resident after seven people tested positive for the variant, reports the broadcaster NHK.
In Spain, According to Madrid, the local government announced on Saturday that four people had become infected with the B.1.1.7 strain, according to Al Jazeera.
Sweden’s Public Health Agency Reuters said the tension was detected in a newly returned traveler from the UK.
France’s Ministry of Health confirmed the first B.1.1.7 case in the country late Friday, according to AFP.
For the record: Vaccination of coronavirus is being started across North America, European Union countries and countries around the world.
- Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission tweeted on Saturday, “Vaccination is the lasting way out of the pandemic.”
- There is no evidence that the B.1.1.7 strain can affect the effectiveness of these vaccinations.