The threat of a new variant worries Europe. The European Commission has proposed to suspend flights from the southern African region due to the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19, announced Friday, November 26, its president Ursula von der Leyen. Follow our live.
A variant that worries. The new variant of Covid-19 detected in South Africa, B.1.1.529, shows a number “extremely high” mutations and “we can see that it has a potential for very rapid spread”, said virologist Tulio de Oliveira, at an online press conference chaired by the Ministry of Health.
WHO meets urgently. The World Health Organization said “to follow closely” this new variant and must meet this Friday to determine its dangerousness. “There are many variants but some have no effect on the progression of the epidemic”, tempered at a press conference John Nkengasong, from the African Union Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Germany is taking the lead. Without waiting for a European response, Germany announced that it would refuse entry into its territory to foreign travelers from South Africa due to the discovery of this new variant of Covid-19. This rule, which will apply from this Friday evening, will concern South Africa and probably neighboring countries.