New variant of COVID-19 causes concern worldwide

 THE World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday said it is in “close contact” with United Kingdom (UK) officials over the emergence of a new variant of coronavirus and would update the public when it learns more about the characteristics of the virus variant and any implications.

The new variant first detected in UK is spreading more rapidly than the original version, but it is not believed to be deadlier.

There is no evidence to suggest the new variant reacts differently to vaccines. In the UK, large parts of south-east England, including London, are now under a new, stricter level of restrictions in a bid to curb the rapidly-spreading virus.

Although there is “considerable uncertainty”, UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said the new variant may be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the old one.

The new strain of coronavirus – known as VUI202012/01 – is believed to spread more quickly than the original strain and is thought to be the reason for rapidly rising infection rates in London and the South East.

Along with the UK, the same mutation of the COVID-19 virus has also been detected in the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia.

Director, Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology (CHAZVY), College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Sunday Omilabu, said anywhere the strain gets to, it would only increase the chances of its transmission.

Professor Omilabu said that the new variant of coronavirus would further drive faster the second wave of COVID-19 in the country if it gets to Nigeria.

Omilabu, a virologist, said the discovery of this variant of coronavirus in the UK meant that Nigeria should do more to know and monitor all variants of COVID-19 circulating in the country.

Professor David Olaleye of the department of Virology, University of Ibadan, however, said the new variant of COVID-19 should be expected because all viruses naturally mutate or change with time as an adaptive mechanism for survival.

ALSO READ: Banks’ staff increased by 1,390 in 3 months —Report

The expert, noting that mutation in a lot of time leads to the emergence of more virulent viruses, declared that it is worrisome that the new variant transits faster than the old one.

Professor Olaleye added, “The virus is changing and it is still evolving, so with time, we stand to see more of this. But what should be our concern the more is if it now becomes more virulent and causes more pathology or damages to body tissues and cells.”

The expert said other coronaviruses such as SARS, MERS and influenza virus, also regularly change, a reason, a vaccine that can confer lifelong protection from these diseases is yet to be developed.

In the UK, the planned relaxation of COaVID-19 rules to allow households to mix over the Christmas period has been scrapped. Italy has ordered a nationwide lockdown over much of the Christmas and New Year period.

The country will be under “red-zone” restrictions over the public holidays, with non-essential shops, restaurants and bars closed, and Italians only allowed to travel for limited reasons. The Netherlands and Germany have imposed lockdowns until January.

In Germany, Christmas will see a slight easing, with one household allowed to host up to four close family members. Austria is set to enter its third lockdown after Christmas.

From December 26, non-essential shops will be shut and movement outside homes restricted. Additionally, several European countries have banned passenger flights from the UK as a ‘precautionary’ bid to make sure that the new strain of coronavirus sweeping across southern England does not establish a strong foothold on the continent.

The Netherlands on Sunday banned flights from the UK for at least the rest of the year while Belgium issued a flight ban for 24 hours starting at midnight and also halted train links to Britain, including the Eurostar.

Austria said it would also halt flights from the UK, but there were no immediate details on the timing of the ban, the Austrian news agency APA reported.

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, imposed stricter quarantine measures from people arriving from the UK.

Italy, due to its concerns over the new strains of coronavirus, announced banning air travel from the UK after midday on Sunday, but it is not known how long they will be in place for. Berlin is also mulling a flight ban as a ‘serious option’ according to German press agency, DPA.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE