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Dozens of coronavirus cases on flights from South Africa
Dozens of countries around the world are sounding the alarm because of the appearance of the new Coronavirus variant Omikron. Numerous states decided on Friday to arm themselves with extensive flight and entry bans as well as new quarantine regulations against importation from southern Africa. Dutch health authorities say dozens of people who arrived in Amsterdam on Friday evening on two flights from South Africa are likely infected with the coronavirus. They are all now being examined for the recently discovered variant B.1.1.529. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Omikron variant, which was first discovered in South Africa, as worrying. WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove said the pathogen had a large number of mutations, some of which had worrying features. Four other variants, including the delta variant that dominates in Germany, have so far been listed in the “worrying” category. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the mutation has not yet been discovered in Germany. However, it can be assumed that the spread is already significantly greater than the known cases in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. It is unclear whether the effect of vaccines is less. However, the mutation profile suggests that a reduced vaccine effect should at least be seriously considered, according to the ministry. South Africa’s Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, criticized the travel restrictions as unjustified, but admitted that the variant, according to preliminary study findings, may be more easily transferable. In Hong Kong, the epidemiologist Ben Cowling doubted that the new variant could still be contained with travel restrictions. The virus is most likely already in other places.
The mutation profile of the new variant B.1.1.529 indicates that a reduced vaccine effect must be seriously considered, according to the Federal Ministry of the Interior.