STRAIN DETECTED IN SOUTH AFRICA SPARKS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
JOHANNESBURG: At least five countries have suspended flights from South Africa after a new coronavirus variant was recently discovered in the country.
The governments of Germany, Turkey, Israel, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia have announced a ban on flights from the southern African nation to prevent the spread of the newly detected variant of the SarsCoV-2 virus, which has been termed ‘501.V2 Variant’.
JOHANNESBURG: At least five countries have suspended flights from South Africa after a new coronavirus variant was recently discovered in the country.
The governments of Germany, Turkey, Israel, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia have announced a ban on flights from the southern African nation to prevent the spread of the newly detected variant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which has been termed ‘501.V2 Variant’.
The precautionary ban on flights from South Africa went into effect on Monday.
Germany was one of the first nations to announce the ban. “Because of the reported coronavirus mutation, the federal government intends to restrict travel options between Germany and Great Britain and South Africa,” said the country’s government spokesperson Martina Fietz.
Germany’s travel ban covers a travel ban for anyone coming from Britain, Northern Ireland and South Africa, which could remain in place until January 6, according to a document seen by Reuters.
Rail and bus operators, shipping companies and airlines are forbidden to transport people from those countries to Germany, it said.
Israel had already banned flights on Sunday, saying that its citizens returning from South Africa would be required to undergo a 30-day mandatory quarantine upon their arrival in the country.
The new variant was discovered in the Eastern Cape and it has already affected KwazuluNatal and the Western Cape.
The new strain of Covid-19 is said to have triggered a fresh spike in coronavirus infections in the country.
South Africa’s health minister Zweli Mkhize said his department has been closely observing that a huge number of young people of late have been testing positive for Covid-19 without showing any signs of illness.
“The evidence that has been collated, therefore, strongly suggests that the current second wave we are experiencing is being driven by this new variant,” he said.