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Covid-19. The South African variant no more dangerous than the British one

Nothing proves that the new strain of coronavirus identified in South Africa either more dangerous or contagious than its British cousin, defended the South African Minister of Health Zwelini Mkhize, responding to his British counterpart.

No elements or evidence

Today there is no evidence that the 501.V2 is more transmissible than the UK variant, as suggested by the UK Minister of Health, Zwelini Mkhize said in a statement released late Thursday evening.

There is also no evidence that it causes a more severe form of the disease or increased mortality than the UK variant or any of the mutations identified worldwide., he adds.

Wednesday, Matt Hancock said the new form of virus from South Africa was “of great concern, because it is more contagious and seems to have transferred more than the one identified in the United Kingdom ”, announcing in the wake of travel restrictions between the two countries.

Distorted perception

These statements may have created the perception that the South African variant was a major factor in the second wave in the UK, which is not the case, says Zwelini Mkhize in his Christmas press release.

The research evidence shows that the British mutation developed before South Africa, argues the minister.

When the British reported the existence of their new variant to the WHO in mid-December, they traced its appearance in Kent to September 20, i.e. a month before the South African variant appears to have developed, he argues.

The South African minister regrets the decision to ban travel between the United Kingdom and his country. There is no evidence that the South African strain is more pathogenic than the British strainThis is what prompted this measure, he insists.

South Africa, the most affected country on the continent, has recorded more than 14,000 positive cases in the past two days, against an average of 8,000 to 10,000 at the start of the week.

Zwelini Mkhize had already hinted Wednesday that further restrictions may be necessary to slow down this alarming rate of propagation.

Nearly 970,000 South Africans have contracted the disease since the start of the pandemic. Almost 26,000 died from it.

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