AUS
NZ
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GER
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ITA
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UAE
Summary
- A highly transmissible new strain of the COVID-19 virus identified in several countries, resistance to the new COVID-19 vaccine not certain.
- The new strain was first detected in the UK but has now spread to other nations around the globe.
- Many countries are imposing new travel restrictions to and from the UK.
Just as the world celebrated the launch of new COVID-19 vaccines, a new virus mutation detected which is highly contagious.
The new strain initially detected in parts of the UK, was also found in a few other nations. With the emergence of the new variant, named as VUI-202012/01, the UK government has imposed strict lockdown restrictions during the upcoming Christmas holidays.
Several EU nations have moved to ban flights from the United Kingdom and others are considering taking the same action to block the spread of the new strain that is most prominent in southern England.
Image Source: © Kalkine Group 2020
READ MORE: Alarm Bells in the UK Over new COVID-19 Virus Mutation
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) is under discussion with UK officials on the new mutant of COVID-19 and said that the agency would update the governments.
New Variant Found in other Countries
The new mutated coronavirus, VUI-202012/01, has also been identified in Australia, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Moreover, France and South Africa also reported that they have cases of the new mutation, though these have not been verified yet.
Image Source: MegapixlTM
The COVID-19 technical lead of the WHO confirmed almost nine cases infected with the mutant COVID-19 in Denmark and several others in the Netherlands and Australia on 20 December 2020.
As per media reports, two COVID-19 cases were identified in Australia. The two individuals had landed in NSW after flying from the United Kingdom.
Further, Italy has identified the new mutated strain in a person who came back from the United Kingdom recently.
According to some experts, the new strain of coronavirus is more dangerous, and it spreads more rapidly.
Countries imposing UK travel bans
Countries all over the world are imposing travel bans and restrictions from the United Kingdom to stop the transmission of the new variant of the coronavirus.
Since the announcement of UK lockdown, more than a dozen nations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America have restricted travel from the UK.
