Australia has turn out to be the newest nation to verify the presence of the brand new South African coronavirus variant.
A girl travelling from abroad, who arrived in Queensland on 22 December, examined optimistic whereas in lodge quarantine. She is now being handled in hospital.
Queensland Minister for Well being and Ambulance Providers Yvette D’Ath introduced the invention in a stay COVID-19 replace.
She stated: “We will report additionally right this moment that it has been recognized one abroad particular person who arrived in Queensland on 22 December has examined optimistic for the brand new South African variant. This would be the first optimistic case of the South African variant in Australia.
A socially distanced Christmas on Bondi Seaside
“We’ve seen different jurisdictions report a UK variant, however that is the primary time the South African variant has been recognized in Australia.
“The optimistic information, the excellent news about this particular person is that they had been in lodge quarantine on the time they had been examined they usually have since been transferred to a hospital and we’re completely assured that each one correct measures had been taken on the lodge and within the switch and naturally on the hospital in relation to this optimistic case.”
The brand new coronavirus variant which stems from the UK – formally titled VUI-202012/01 – has already been found in Australia.
The brand new UK variant is regarded as up to 70% more transmissible, which means it might unfold a lot quicker than the unique model.
Ms D’Ath stated there are at the moment 11 circumstances of COVID-19 in Queensland, and 1,248 circumstances for the reason that begin of the yr.
Australia has confirmed 28,349 circumstances of coronavirus and 909 deaths for the reason that pandemic started.
Sydney has not too long ago been placed on excessive alert after a cluster of circumstances within the metropolis’s northern beachside suburbs.
2019 New Yr’s Eve fireworks in Sydney
New Yr’s Eve celebrations have been scaled again, and though the capital’s famous firework display will go forward, officers have banned folks from gathering close to to Sydney Harbour Bridge to observe.
In the meantime, India has confirmed that six individuals who returned from the UK in latest weeks have examined optimistic with the brand new variant of coronavirus which stemmed from the UK.
India has discovered six new circumstances of the UK coronavirus variant
The well being ministry stated all six sufferers had been remoted and their fellow travellers had been tracked down. Shut contacts of the contaminated sufferers had been additionally put below quarantine.
India had already suspended flights from and to the UK till the tip of the yr, in a bid to sluggish the unfold of the brand new variant.
New COVID variant is turning into ‘dominant’
The second-most populous nation on this planet, India has confirmed 10,222,303 circumstances of coronavirus and 148,153 deaths for the reason that pandemic started.
India is anticipated to start out a vaccination drive for some 300 million folks early subsequent month.
