Cases of a new variant of COVID-19 first detected in England were confirmed by health officials in Canada, Japan and several other European Union countries on Saturday.
Why it matters: While there is no evidence that the variant is more deadly than the original strain, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that it could be 70% more communicable has prompted dozens of countries to ban travel from the UK.
- The strain, called B.1.1.7, spurred a spike in cases that saw tens of millions of people in England and Wales close during the holidays.
- Some officials fear it may have spread unnoticed around the world, as few countries have the kind of sophisticated genomic surveillance that has allowed British scientists to find the variant, according to the New York Times.
What is happening: The Canadian Public Health Agency confirmed the first two cases in North America of the new coronavirus strain on Saturday night in the province of Ontario.
- The agency noted in a statement that “these two cases did not travel outside Canada”.
Japan employees said on Saturday that the country would close its border to all non-resident foreigners from midnight on Monday and until January 31, after seven people tested positive for the variant, NHK reported.
In Spain, The Madrid regional government announced on Saturday that four people had been infected with the variant, according to Al Jazeera.
Swedish Public Health Agency said on Saturday that the strain was detected in a traveler recently returned from the UK, Reuters notes.
French Ministry of Health confirmed the first case B.1.1.7 in the country on Friday night, by AFP.
For registration: Coronavirus vaccines are starting to be launched in North America, European Union countries and nations around the world.
- European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen tweeted Saturday, “Vaccination is the long-term way out of the pandemic.”
- There is no evidence that strain B.1.1.7 can affect the effectiveness of these vaccinations.