A heavily-mutated Covid variant emerges in southern Africa: Here's what we know so far [View all]

[Klaralven]

The variant known as B.1.1.529 has been detected in small numbers in South Africa, WHO officials said.

South African scientist Tulio de Oliveira said in a media briefing that the variant contains more than 30 mutations to the spike protein, the component of the virus that binds to cells.

The U.K. immediately moved to ban flights from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.

Francois Balloux, an epidemiologist and director of University College London’s Genetics Institute, told the BBC on Friday that the early discovery of the variant could render it easier to contain.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/26/covid-variant-emerges-in-south-africa-heres-what-we-know-so-far.html

International travel should be banned completely. Ships crews and air freighter crews engaged in international transport should be quarantined. Truck and rail crews should be changed at the border.