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Highlights
- Britain’s Matt Hancock stated that the variant was “highly concerning”
- South Africa is the nation hit hardest by coronavirus on the continent
- Around 14,000 Covid circumstances have been detected on every of the previous two days
Johannesburg, South Africa:
South Africa’s well being minister has rejected his British counterpart’s declare {that a} new coronavirus variant within the nation is extra contagious or harmful than an identical one in spreading the UK.
“At present, there is no evidence that the 501.V2 (variant) is more transmissible than the United Kingdom variant — as suggested by the British Health Secretary,” Zwelini Mkhize stated in a press release revealed late Thursday.
“There is also no evidence that (it) causes more severe disease or increased mortality than the UK variant or any variant that has been sequenced around the world”.
Announcing restrictions on journey from South Africa Wednesday, Britain’s Matt Hancock had stated that the variant there was “highly concerning, because it is yet more transmissible, and it appears to have mutated further” than the same pressure in Britain.
The British minister’s phrases “have created a perception that the variant in SA has been a major factor in the second wave in UK,” Mkhize stated.
“This is not correct.”
He pointed to proof that the British pressure, which bears an identical mutation to the South African one, appeared as early as September in southeastern county Kent — “approximately a month before the South African variant appears to have developed”.
Citing “the widely shared view of the scientific community,” Mkhize additionally argued that “the risks of travel bans may outweigh the benefits”.
“Banning travel between UK and SA is an unfortunate decision,” he added.
South Africa is the nation hit hardest by coronavirus on the continent, with shut to at least one million infections to this point and 26,000 individuals useless.
Around 14,000 constructive circumstances have been detected on every of the previous two days, in contrast with between 8,000 and 10,000 earlier this week.
Mkhize stated on Wednesday that new restrictions may very well be essential to gradual the virus’ unfold.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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