The newest and most popular of these is the “more contagious” virus. (The diagram was taken from Pixabay)
However, Hancock held a press conference this afternoon to say that a new variant of the virus, which is also more infectious, was found, and these 2 cases have been to South Africa, and he also issued travel restrictions on South Africa at the same time.
Hancock said anyone who has been to South Africa in the past two weeks and anyone who has had contact with the two must immediately self-quarantine.
We are grateful to the South African government for their scientific rigor and transparency, and for the right action they and we took to discover the new variant of the virus,” Hancock said, according to the BBC.
The two new variants, previously found in the UK and this time from South Africa, both have a similar mutation known as N501Y, which plays a key role in the virus’ ability to infect human cells.
Public health England (PHE) professor Susan Hopkins said the two new variants appear to be “both more infectious,” but they are still studying the new virus from South Africa.
South African scientists said the new variant of the virus is “spreading rapidly” and has become the main virus spreading in South Africa today.
Hancock also announced at the press conference that more areas will be raised to level 4 epidemic alert from 26 onwards, including Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire in England, which is expected to affect more than 6 million people, bringing the population living in level 4 alert to 24 million, accounting for 43% of England’s total population.
According to the latest data, 36,804 new people were diagnosed and 691 people died of illness in the UK on the 23rd.
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