A new strain of coronavirus, which was identified in the UK in December, was present in Germany in November, reports the Welt edition citing the Ministry of Health of Lower Saxony.
According to a study by the Medical University of Hannover, this type of virus was found in a “very elderly” man with previous illnesses, who subsequently died as a result of the illness. Also, the “British” coronavirus was detected in his wife.
The department found out that the daughter of the deceased was in the UK in mid-November, where she contracted a new strain. At the same time, both she and the spouse of the deceased have already recovered.
The head of the crisis headquarters of Lower Saxony, Secretary of State for Health Haiger Scholz said that the manifestation of this strain in the country is “an additional reason to adhere to the current restrictions on contacts and hygiene measures.” According to him, this could prevent the spread of any variant of the virus.
On December 28, the mutated coronavirus was found near the Russian border. The first case of infection with the mutated coronavirus, first discovered in the UK, was recorded in Finland, near the border with Russia.
Earlier, a new strain reached to South Korea. Before that, two cases of infection were detected in Canada. On December 26, a new strain was identified in France and Spain . A day earlier, a similar strain was discovered in Ireland and Japan, on December 24 – in Germany.
A dangerous mutation of the coronavirus was discovered in the UK. To date, about a thousand cases of infection with the new strain have been identified. The mutation was also found in patients in Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, South Africa. The British Advisory Board on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats said this variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster.
More than 20 countries, including Russia, have announced the suspension of transport links with the UK.