Britain scrambles to contain Covid mutations, spread of variant from South Africa – By Holly Ellyatt (CNBC) / Feb 3 2021
- The U.K is scrambling to contain the spread of more mutations of the coronavirus, with the more worrying variant first discovered in South Africa, seen spontaneously emerging in parts of the country.
- The U.K.’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the U.K. had to “come down hard” on the South African variant after a 105 cases have emerged in the country, and 11 of those cases had no links to international travel.
LONDON — The U.K. is scrambling to contain the spread of additional mutations of the coronavirus, with the more worrying variant first discovered in South Africa seen to be spontaneously emerging in different parts of the country.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the country had to “come down hard” on the South African variant after 105 cases were reported, and 11 of those cases had no links to international travel.
As such, the U.K. launched an enhanced testing program for around 80,000 people living in areas where pockets of cases with the mutation have been found. Tests are being offered door-to-door and positive cases will be then be assessed to see if they are caused by the South African variant.
People in those areas have been told to consider limiting the time they spend outside their homes as health authorities scramble to prevent the spread of yet another more infectious variant. One mutation, now known as the “British mutation,” has already become the dominant strain in many parts of the country.
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